


Star Wars: A New Horizon

by Blue_Cypress



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, F/M, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-01 08:03:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 29,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14515974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Cypress/pseuds/Blue_Cypress
Summary: The rebellion is dead. The Battle of Crait solidified the power of the First Order, reducing what's left of the Resistance to a handful of fugitives. But amidst the crush of defeat, a spark is ignited. Rey, along with the other Resistance leaders, fight to maintain hope as they find allies across the galaxy. Finally overcoming her past, Rey is able to face her doubts and fears to discover her new place in the universe.





	1. Chapter 1

She was surrounded by green and hot air and memories. Piercing through all of it was a heavy sense of loss. Reality was catching up to her, and before she knew it, tears were welling in Rey’s eyes. 

They had just laid Leia to rest this morning… why did it feel like an eternity ago? After their escape from Crait, she had seemed so strong, still leading what little forces they had left. It was only after they had reached Maz Kanata and retreated back to Takodana that Leia changed. Everyone noticed her hands starting to shake, her voice starting to get smaller, but no one wanted to question her abilities. 

Maz’s castle was still in ruins, and Maz herself had just returned to the planet, but a few scouts had found a cluster of crude stone structures deep in the forest that served as a base for now. Together, they numbered at only fifty. Rey could sense the disparity that hung over their camp, but they still had General Organa. 

During a meeting on their second day there, Leia had collapsed. Rey barely had time to process what happened before she heard Poe’s voice bellow for the only medical personnel they had left. The small room felt like it had closed in, and since then, there was a tightness in her chest that wouldn’t release. 

Poe had explained Leia’s miraculous escape from the explosion on the cruiser bridge, and Rey sensed that although the General wasn’t a Jedi, the Force surrounded her like an iron defense. But in the span of only a few days, the whole Resistance watched as Leia’s life slowly slipped away. It was peaceful, her passing, but it had sent the whole Resistance into a panic.

Lieutenant Connix and Maz had somehow managed to transmit a covert message to any Resistance allies or old friends to invite them to pay their respects. They had talked extensively about how the burial should go; her father’s ashes were on Endor, her mother’s remains were on Naboo, and Luke had passed on while still on Ahch-To. There didn’t seem to be a reason to try to relocate her for the burial, and traveling across the galaxy with the First Order still searching for them wasn’t an option. 

The ceremony on Takodana was expected to be small, but they were all shocked to see at least another hundred mourners from around the galaxy come to say goodbye. Lieutenant Connix had lead Leia’s burial herself, her voice unwavering, though Rey knew she and the General had been close. Next to a quiet lake that mirrored the blue skies, they lowered Leia onto a floating palette lit with candles. Her face was serene, and even in death she held a presence over everyone there. Rey felt her eyes begin to sting, felt Finn’s hand against her back, felt Poe’s warmth emitting next to her. As Leia’s body floated towards the center of the water, the palette sparked into soft blue flames. Rey wasn’t sure if it was Maz’s doing or someone else’s, but the effect caused tears to flow down her cheeks. The blue beacon illuminated the lake as the sun set over the trees. She could see the warm colors meet the icy flames through clouded eyes. It felt like they were losing more than Leia; that the Resistance itself had just died. 

After the crowd broke apart, Rey whispered something to Finn about wanting to be alone and had quietly slipped towards the trees nearby. She could feel Poe’s gaze on her back, but knew whatever feelings she had towards him could wait until the grief had passed. 

As she let the tears come, Rey felt suffocated by the humidity and overwhelmed by their odds. They had barely escaped Crait alive. None of their supposed allies had come to their aid. Leia Organa was gone. They had no leader in a fight they were already losing. Or had they already lost? 

The trees that surrounded her rustled with a breeze. The beauty Rey had once reveled in when she first saw Takodana couldn’t comfort her. She was cursed, somehow doomed to lose everyone she had ever cared about. Her parents, Han Solo, Leia…even Ben. 

Ben, the thought of him brought a fresh wave of tears. Could he feel his mother’s passing? Would it hurt him? Rey thought she had closed their connection after leaving Crait, but the last few nights of sleep were restless. She couldn’t remember her dreams, but when she woke, she could feel the connection between them fluttering as she entered into consciousness. The door that she tried to shut kept cracking open; Rey could feel him on the other side, just as hesitant and afraid as she was. Each morning, she closed it firmly, resolving to work on strengthening her mind. He had made his choice, and so had she.

“Rey?” she jumped at the sound of her name, turning to find Finn approaching cautiously behind her. She sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve, attempting to get rid of any evidence of her crying. 

“Sorry, just needed some time away from everything,” her voice cracked. “Old desert hermit habit, I suppose.”

Finn smiled at the joke and came closer, sitting down on the soft grass next to her. 

“Rose is going to be okay,” he continued to smile as he relayed the news. Rey smiled back. Whatever happiness or companionship was there, Finn deserved it. 

“That’s great,” Rey replied, not sure of what else to say. 

“It is,” Finn pulled pieces of grass out of the ground, fidgeting. “Rey, there’s someone here who wants to speak with you. One of the guests. They asked Poe and he sent me to let you know.”

“Me? Who here would know who I am?” Rey’s brow creased in confusion.

“I don’t know, he’s a skittish guy. Wants to get out of here as soon as possible. Everyone’s worried that the crowd traveling here will draw the wrong attention. I don’t think he’s anything to worry about, but Poe and I can be there with you if you need us.”

“I’ll talk to him, sure.” Rey stood up, brushing the grass off her tunic and wiping what remained of the tears off her face. 

“Are you sure?” Finn raised himself off the ground and began walking back to the base. 

“Yes, it’s fine.” She gave him a small reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine.” Finn smiled back. As they made their way back to the makeshift base, Finn launched into the details the med worker had given him about Rose’s condition. Rey tried to listen, but found herself distracted by thoughts of the funeral and the identity of her mystery visitor. 

“I think they’re posted up in here,” Finn lead her into one of the larger huts. The door was only an old curtain pinned to the archway, and Finn lifted the fabric to allow them both in. A few candles lit the stone interior, shining on Connix and a skinny man with a long nose, thinning hair, and an anxious demeanor. At the sight of Rey, he nodded. 

“Well, here she is,” Connix said flatly, exhausted from the day. “This is Rey. Rey, I wish I had a name to introduce to you, but this man doesn’t seem to want to give his up.”

“Lieutenant,” the man wheezed, his eyes darting around the room. “You may think you’re safe here, but this little service of yours has attracted too much attention. The less information I give about myself and who I represent, the better.” 

“Who is it that you represent, then?” Rey interjected, irritated at his cowardice. 

“Ah,” the man coughed nervously, “that I also can’t answer in detail. I’m here to give you this.” He outstretched a feeble arm to reveal a small map drive in the palm of his hand. Rey took it, still hesitating. 

“Your Resistance still has allies,” he whispered, still glancing frantically at the door. “If you follow the coordinates on that map, you’ll find them. And I suggest you do so quickly. The First Order already destroyed Takodana once. They’ll know to look here. And you’re too important to die.” 

“Wait-” Finn began to argue, but the man held up his hand, gesturing for silence. 

“No questions. I can’t stay any longer. The less people who see me, the better. I might not look like it, but I’m a friend. And Rey,” he paused, finally looking directly into her eyes. “We need you.” 

With that, the man pulled a dark hood over his head and rushed pass Finn and Rey to exit the structure. The sun had set, and the darkness swallowed him whole. 

Rey turned to Finn, prepared to ask a million questions, before Connix interrupted and snatched the small device out of her hand. 

“Rey,” she began before Rey could protest. “I don’t know who he was, but he was right. Poe and I didn’t expect this many people to show up when we sent news of Leia’s death. We should run this over to Kenzo in tech to make sure it’s not a tracker or anything else that could put us in danger. If it passes the right tests, you can have whatever it holds.”

Rey paused, realizing Connix was right. She nodded, allowing Connix to pass through the hung curtain behind her. 

“Do you think he could’ve been telling the truth?” she glanced up at Finn. 

“I hope so.”


	2. Chapter 2

Staring at the stones above her, Rey’s eyelids were just feeling heavy when someone knocked on the outside of her designated structure. It was cramped and so low that she couldn’t stand up straight while inside, but it reminded her of her old AT-AT on Jakku. 

“It’s Poe,” she heard, as she started to sit up. 

“Yeah, come in,” Rey grimaced, unprepared for the visit. Poe’s presence was comforting and nerve wrecking, all at the same time. 

At her invitation, BB-8 burst through the flap covering the opening of her hut. He chirped his greeting and she smiled back, as Poe ducked in to sit next to the entrance. The room was so small, he was only a few feet away. Rey felt her heart quicken at the sight of his thick black hair and deep brown eyes. Her face flushed involuntarily, but she hoped it wasn’t noticeable in the dim lighting. 

“Sorry to bother you at a late hour,” Poe smiled shyly, “but BB-8 and I had something to share with you. Kenzo ran every test he could think of and your little present is officially not dangerous.” He handed her the drive before nodding to BB-8. “We can check it out now, unless you want to wait until the morning.”

“No, now’s fine,” Rey stretched herself to reach BB-8 and deposited the drive into the droid. He beeped in response, and immediately emitted a small hologram that contained only a few pieces of information: coordinates and a small message. 

“Go ahead and play the message,” Rey bit her lip as BB-8 complied. 

“The Resistance still has allies,” a muffled voice echoed against the stone walls. Whoever had created their message had modified their voice to be groggy and unnaturally deep. “We want to fight. Come to the planet Quabos and we’ll be there waiting for you. Do so with a small party. May the Force be with you.” 

Rey frowned; if they were going to risk their lives traveling to a remote planet she had never even heard of, couldn’t they at least have more details? 

“Could it be a trap?” she asked Poe, who seemed just as perplexed as she was. 

“It could always be a trap. But we’re desperate.” He signed, looking from BB-8 to Rey. She could feel the redness creeping back to her cheeks as her eyes met his. “I haven’t told anyone this, but Leia’s death felt like the last blow to our efforts. Connix and I have been focusing on the funeral today just to avoid talking about what’s after. Our forces are nonexistent, and the fighters we still have are restless. I can feel it… they want to leave and try to find some sort of normalcy in life again. We thought we had friends we could count on, but they abandoned us on Crait. We don’t have much left.” Rey could feel a bitterness creeping into Poe’s voice, but he let a small smile twitch across his lips. “At least this is something.”

“The message said to limit our visiting to a small party,” Rey said. “Our Resistance is small, but I don’t think fifty people is what they had in mind.”

“I’ll talk it over with Connix tomorrow,” Poe nodded in agreeance. “I think she should stay here and lead whatever troops decide to stay. She’s convinced I should do it, but even Leia knew I wasn’t ready. Too stubborn, too hot-headed.” He smiled again, and Rey returned it. 

“I can relate,” she could feel the Force tingling slightly at the small budding connection between them. “Poe, I didn’t know Leia as long as you did, but I know she was proud of you.” 

Poe’s smile melted into something softer, more vulnerable. “I could say the same thing about you,” he murmured back. Rey felt like the small hut was getting smaller by the second; she struggled to keep her breath as she and Poe smiled at each other in the confined room. BB-8 beeped, startling them both. 

“Yeah, buddy,” Poe grinned at the little droid. “I think you can come with us.”

“Us?” Rey laughed slightly. 

“Us,” Poe nodded. “I’d like to come with you, and I think Finn and Chewbacca should come too. Then we’ll have a pilot, an almost-Jedi, an ex-Stormtrooper, a Wookie, and a droid. That’s an intimidating team if I’ve ever seen one.” 

“Alright, I can’t argue with that,” Rey laughed again. Poe gave her one last smile before attempting to stand. 

“It’s late, BB-8 and I will head out. But we’ll start making plans tomorrow. I’ve only heard mention of Quabos a few times; it’s small and uninhabited, but not too far away. Night, Rey.” 

“Goodnight,” she replied, catching Poe’s gaze for a few extra seconds before he disappeared. 

Waiting a few moments to make sure he had retreated back to the base, Rey let out a sigh, which turned into laughter. When was the last time she laughed? The last time she had felt this light and airy? Even with thoughts of the funeral and future buzzing in the back of her head, there was something bright that kept her worries away. 

For the first time in a long time, Rey fell asleep with a smile across her face.


	3. Chapter 3

Rey could sense herself easing out of sleep with images of Poe from the night before drifting through her mind. The creases next to his eyes, the way his lips parted into a smile so effortlessly, his hands running through his hair. It was all so enamoring. So why did she feel so angry? The anger boiled under the memories, setting them all aflame. 

“BEN,” Rey yelled aloud, jolting up out of her makeshift bed. Their connection was more open than usual, as if he had been tempted inside by the happy memories. He had probed through them, she knew. Her mind raced. What if he had seen their location? Or anything that could lead him to them? Ben’s presence paced like a sulking animal, unwilling to leave. She couldn’t see him physically like she could on Ahch-To, but his darkness filled the room. 

“Get out of my head,” Rey growled, as she slammed the door in her mind harder than usual. He was gone, but the effort left her with a monstrous headache. 

After washing in a nearby stream to attempt get rid of the pain, Rey redressed and made her way towards the cluster of stone. She was hungry, frustrated at her own weakness, and desperate for something to take her mind off Ben Solo. Seeing Poe Dameron might help. 

Rey entered the larger stone house that was serving as a command room to find Connix scowling at Poe, who seemed to be in the middle of presenting his idea. Finn was sitting down next to Chewie, his face covered with worry. As they had expected, Connix wasn’t taking the news well. 

“Dameron,” she rubbed her temples with her hands, “I’m already having trouble keeping troops here. Half of them wanted to abandon us when Leia passed. What am I going to do when my best pilot and a handful of other Resistance celebrities look like they’re jumping ship?” 

“Connix, you know we’re not jumping ship,” Poe explained calmly. “You know we don’t have a plan. So, here’s a plan. We’re sending a small party out to try and find more allies. You guys just lay low here until we have something. I think most of us are tired of running; some of them might enjoy the chance to just rest. There are worse planets to hide out on, and Maz has a great underground system going here. They’re in good hands. They’re with you.” Poe’s lips twitched slightly as he noticed Rey entering the room. 

“Rey, you wanna do this?” Connix turned towards her.

“I think so,” Rey shrugged. “It’s all we have to go on.” Chewie roared. 

“Yeah, I know.” Connix rolled her eyes. “You’re going too. Finn, you staying here or going with them?” 

Finn looked up, as if he had been lost in thought. “Um,” he hesitated, clearly distracted. “Yeah, I’ll go.” 

“Okay,” Connix clapped the table in front of her as she stood. “I don’t approve, but I don’t think I have much of a choice. And if I’m going to lead this thing, it needs to look like it was my idea. Start packing. I’d prefer you not use the Falcon since it’s the most recognizable ship in the galaxy right now, but the only other options are old pieces of junk Maz has lying around the forest. If you need to make a quick escape, you’ll need a ship that runs and that you’re familiar with. I’m off to tell the troops right now, so head out as soon as you’re ready.” Connix strode out of the room, still muttering about how it was all a bad idea. 

“Okay,” Poe took over the command, “she’s right, we should get packing and start as soon as possible. Let’s meet at the Falcon in thirty- sound good?” Chewie moaned to agree, Rey nodded, and Finn barely looked up. Poe took that as confirmation, and took off to prepare the ship, followed closely by Chewbacca. Rey crossed the room to where Finn was sitting, his eyes glued to the ground. 

“Finn, what’s wrong?” she placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“What if she doesn’t wake up?” Finn answered. “What if she wakes up and I’m not here? What if the First Order somehow finds them while we’re gone?” Rey could hear the anguish and anxiety in his voice. 

“I had to consider that once too,” she replied softly. “And look, you woke up. And here we are.” Finn looked up to meet her gaze. 

“You’re right,” Finn murmured, standing. A smile crossed his lips slowly. “So, you and Poe?”

“Me and-” Rey sputtered, taken aback by the observation. 

“Oh, come on,” Finn laughed. “He can’t keep his eyes off you.”

Rey delivered a punch to Finn’s arm before striding out of the room. She could hear his laughter following her and could feel her own heart pounding with an odd mixture of embarrassment and elation. Packing would help distract her, though she didn’t have much to pack. 

She ran through her small home briskly, collecting what few items belonged to her: a few extra tunics Maz had dug up, her staff, her satchel, and the remnants of Luke’s lightsaber. Stuffing it into the satchel, Rey tried not to remember how it became broken. 

Meeting Chewie and BB-8 aboard the Falcon, she started programming the coordinates for Quabos, her hands happy to have something to do. The ship felt like home more than any planet did. She heard Poe and Finn come aboard, and heard Chewie roar in irritation when Poe asked if he could help pilot the ship. Rey grinned; that was a privilege Poe hadn’t earned yet. Moments later, Chewie joined her in the cockpit, smug at putting the pilot in his place. 

“He’s just trying to help, be nice.” Rey laughed as they both started engaging the controls to get the ship off the ground. Chewie moaned about the trip to Quabos being quick once they were in hyper speed; he had heard of the planet but had never been. Supposedly, it was once a smaller Rebel base decades ago, but had been abandoned after the Sith had been defeated. At its prime, the base had only held a few dozen troops at best. It was too remote to be an asset to either side of the war, and Chewie hadn’t heard mention of it since. 

Poe, Finn, and BB-8 joined them in the extra seats in the cockpit once they were in hyperspace and it was clear no one was tracking them. 

“So, do we have exact coordinates for where these people are once we get to the planet?” Finn asked. 

“Well, not exactly,” Rey admitted. “But if they’re expecting us, maybe they’ll have a welcoming party.” Finn clearly didn’t appreciate the joke, but Poe stepped in.

“We’ll figure it out when we get there, buddy. We don’t even know what the terrain of this place is. Maybe it’ll be obvious.” 

As soon as Poe had voiced his confidence, the Falcon slowed out of hyper speed, and it was painfully clear that finding humans on the planet would be difficult. The surface was coated in towering steep mountains that dipped below into a foggy abyss; Rey wasn’t even sure they’d be able to find a place to land the Falcon. Each tower of rock was spotted with leafy trees, and they had to search for a half hour until they found one flat enough to lower the ship onto. By the time they landed, she could feel the unease that had settled over all of them. They had no way to climb down the mountain they were on top of, and absolutely no way of finding who they were meeting. 

Just as the dust was settling around the Falcon, they saw a small ship pop out from the distant fog. As it came towards them, Rey recognized it as a small transport ship most likely used for getting around the terrain. The vehicle formed a diamond, tapering down at the bottom to land on the steep mountains with ease. Judging from how banged up it was, it was well-utilized. 

“That must be our hosts,” Poe muttered as each of them prepared blasters, staff, and crossbow in case they were needed. Rey kept her eyes on the ship as she took the safety off the blaster Han Solo had gifted to her. It had landed smoothly on the tower of stone next to theirs, and she could see two forms emerging from the ship. One was humanoid, the other some sort of biped species she didn’t recognize. Both held their hands overhead, signaling that they had no weapons ready. 

“They’re not armed for now,” Rey announced. “We should meet them outside.” All three followed her suggestion, BB-8 staying aboard the ship. 

Exiting the Falcon, Rey felt her lungs inflate with the cool, dry air that whipped around her. It was windy at this height, but the wind and temperature were a welcome change compared to the humidity and heat on Takodana. 

“HEY,” the man on the other mountain called out to them over the wind. “WE’RE SUPPOSED TO ESCORT YOU TO YOUR NEXT LOCATION. MIND IF WE COME OVER?” Rey glanced at the others, stopping at Poe, and nodded. 

“YEP,” Poe shouted back. The figures disappeared back into their ship, which promptly lifted from the neighboring rock to theirs. The odd diamond ship’s landing was soft, and Rey noted she couldn’t feel any additional wind caused by its presence. Wise, she thought, since any more wind would knock us all off this mountain. 

Once more, the two figures emerged from the ship. The human, she saw, had olive skin, slanted eyes, and towered over all of them except Chewbacca. The biped species she hadn’t recognized had a blue tint to his dark skin, scales that covered his scalp, and strange white tendrils that sprouted next to his ears. 

“I’m Stef,” the human projected over the howl of the wind, “and this is Jarcol. He’s a Tholothian, if you’re unfamiliar.” Stef grinned as his eyes watered. “This planet’s hard to land on if you’re unfamiliar, I’m impressed you found a spot. Hop back up in the air and follow us. We have a more suitable place in mind.” 

Rey hesitated, disliking following strangers they had just met into a planet tricky to fly in. But what other choice did they have? Chewie roared back at Stef, who let out a booming laugh. 

“Man, it’s been a while since I spoke with a Wookie. Always a pleasure,” chuckling, he retreated back to their ship, followed closely by Jarcol, whose large blue eyes had never left Rey’s face. Rey felt discomfort creeping along her skin, but felt like at least these two were trustworthy. 

Their party re-boarded the Millennium Falcon as they followed their guides through the maze of mountains. Once below the layer of fog, Rey could see a thick forest below them. How was landing amongst all these trees any easier? Chewie groaned similar thoughts, with a few explicit words, and Poe chuckled. 

Finally, the diamond ship led them towards a clearing just large enough for a few ships to land. As they touched down, Rey closed her eyes momentarily and hoped they had made the right decision. Reaching out for the Force, she attempted to see any malicious intentions that might hide within the trees. But like the fog surrounding them, something about this forest was clouded and she couldn’t sense much. 

This time, upon breathing the air, Rey found it less clear than it was on the mountain. The mist was thick, and the trees surrounding them were even thicker. Aside from the two ships, she couldn’t see anything sign of human life. 

“It’s a bit of a walk to our final destination,” Stef announced as he and Jarcol exited the ship. “Apologies for all the secrecy. Our predicament, as I’m sure you can understand, is sensitive right now.” The two headed into the forest, Stef waving a machete knife to remove any trees in his path. Rey followed, reluctantly, with Chewie, Poe, Finn, and BB-8. 

“Anyone else uncomfortable right now?” Finn whispered frantically from behind her. BB-8 beeped quietly. 

“Well being lured into an unfamiliar forest with strangers isn’t ideal, but if they wanted to kill us, they could’ve already.” Poe shot back. Rey could feel his gaze on her back again, but convinced herself this wasn’t the time to be distracted. 

“It’s true!” Stef called back, “we definitely don’t want to kill you.” Rey was shocked at how accurate his hearing was. 

“You can’t tell us where we’re going?” Rey demanded, stepping over a fallen tree.

“And ruin the surprise?” Stef laughed, his casual demeanor making Rey more irritated. Jarcol grunted, or laughed, Rey couldn’t tell. After making their way through the tangled forest, they eventually came to a small hill covered in rubble. Whatever had once stood there, it had long since been destroyed. Vines covered the old cement and a few sprouting trees popped through the cracks. 

“Here we are,” Stef bent over, his massive hands clutching what Rey thought was a few rocks. As he lifted, she saw it was a hidden hatch door leading down to a dark stairwell. 

“Okay, no,” Finn objected. “If you think we’re going down with you two in a creepy tunnel-”

“I can see your point,” Stef interjected. “But we are unarmed,” -he threw his machete into the forest- “and at this point you’ll have a hard time finding your ship without us. The only way out is in, friends.” 

Rey sighed, realizing Stef was right. They had crossed so much ground coming here, and she hadn’t been paying close attention to their path. 

“Fine,” she agreed, “let’s just go.” Poe nodded, Chewie groaned, BB-8 beeped, and Finn scowled at her. After filing into the opening and shutting the door behind them, they followed Stef and Jarcol down the flight of steps into a dimly lit tunnel. 

“We’re taking you guys in through the back way,” Stef explained. “Your presence is welcome, but might cause a bit of a frenzy. There’s one person you need to meet first, and she’ll explain everything.” He led their party through the labyrinth of tunnels, and just as Rey was growing weary of wandering in the darkness, Stef stopped abruptly. He turned to the side of the tunnel and faced a door that Rey hadn’t seen, it had blended in so well. Stef rapped his knuckles on the metal. 

“They’re here,” he announced, and a small echo clicked through the tunnel as the door unlocked. Stef swung the door open, gesturing for them to enter. Inside was a small concrete room, lit by a small fire in the corner, and filled with a large table and chairs. A figure sat by the fire with their feet propped up on a nearby stool. They turned, but Rey couldn’t make out their features against the flames. She heard a laugh; it belonged to a woman, but it was rough and harsh. 

“Oh, I couldn’t have planned this any better.”


	4. Chapter 4

Rey started to reach into her bag for the blaster, and she felt Poe reach for his as well. They had been set up. 

“No, no, weapons away,” the voice rang out again as the figure stood. As she came towards them, Rey saw she was slender, maybe only a few years older than her. The woman’s thick, curly hair was an unnatural bright red, but it only covered about half of her head. The other half was covered in burn scars. Aside from the burns, she was quite beautiful, with an angled face that glowed in the light of the fire. She was dressed in all black, and looked every bit a villain. She smiled at them, which Rey didn’t find reassuring. 

“Oh, I know my appearance doesn’t give a warm welcome, but trust me, I’m thrilled you’re here. Sit, please.” All four of them hesitated at the invitation. The woman smiled again, her narrow lips stretching as she sat herself down at the nearby table. “Stef, Jarcol, you two can wait outside. We might be in here a while.” At her command, the two stepped out the door. 

“Sit or don’t sit, it doesn’t matter to me,” the woman continued, “I’m sure you’re all wondering why you’re here and who I am and what this is all about. I’m sorry, by the way, that I had to send that little weasel Miky to General Organa’s funeral. I wanted to go myself, but unfortunately I can’t afford the risk of travel these days.”

Rey’s defenses softened slightly at the mention of Leia, and she could tell Poe’s did too. His hand lowered from his gun holster. 

“Some answers would be nice,” Finn exclaimed sarcastically, Chewie moaning as well, his crossbow still in hand. The woman didn’t seem phased by the Wookie or his weapon in the slightest. 

“Well, let’s get started. As I explained to the boys, we might be in here a while,” she leaned back in her chair as their party sat down slowly. 

“I’m Phoenix, I came to the planet of Quabos about five years ago when I had nowhere else to go. Before that, I was a part of the Knights of Ren, before that, a Padawan, and before that, nothing.” Rey’s jaw dropped slightly at her short explanation of a complicated life. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chewie’s head tilt and heard BB-8 chirp curiously. 

“I know, quite the background,” she continued while she twirled her hair with her index finger. “Quabos is the perfect place to disappear. Aside from the planet’s terrain, this tunnel system was built forever ago, and as far as I can tell, not even the Rebels knew it was here. At first, I came here seeking a place to just hide, but eventually, I accidentally started collecting an odd mix of people of who I’m now in charge of. War criminals, refugees, Resistance sympathizers, defected storm troopers.” She stopped, seeing the awe in Finn’s face, and laughed again. “Yes, FN-2187, you’re not the only one. In fact, they’ll lose their mind when they find out you’re here. You’re quite the celebrity, hence my odd response to seeing your group.” Rey rolled her eyes as she saw Finn sit up slightly in his chair and puff his chest out.

“And, most importantly,” Phoenix turned and looked at Rey directly. “People like us, Rey.” 

“Like us?” Rey’s mind came to a halt.

“People who have a connection to the Force that they can’t understand. And now that the First Order has a grip on the whole galaxy, our dear friend Kylo Ren will be hunting for them even harder. In my message, I mentioned that the Resistance still has allies. It does, but they’re all terrified and only operating underground. But occasionally, I’m sent a kid who’s attracted the wrong sort of attention and who needs to disappear. They come here to do that. I wish I could say I have the time to train them properly, but I don’t. Nor do I have the desire. If Luke couldn’t do it, I certainly can’t.” Her shoulders dropped slightly at the mention of Luke Skywalker. “How much have you heard since Crait?”

“Nothing,” Poe answered. “We can’t risk trying to communicate with anyone. Our numbers are too vulnerable right now. But speaking of Crait-”

“If you’re about to ask if we should’ve shown up to that battle, I’ll stop you right there.” Phoenix’s eyes narrowed slightly. Rey noticed they were a fiery reddish brown. “When I say we’re underground, I don’t just mean that literally. I had intel on Leia’s Resistance, but she had no knowledge of mine. After my escape, I wasn’t sure I’d be welcome, given my past allegiance. And I knew that Kylo Ren had almost all of his attention on your troops, clearly for personal reasons. I just couldn’t risk it. I didn’t hear about Crait until after it happened.

“Since you’ve been out of touch with the galaxy, let me fill you in. The First Order is attempting to patch together a political system to replace the Republic they destroyed, just to further solidify their position of power. However, per usual, they overestimate themselves. Plenty of people are skeptical of their power since a small Resistance force managed to blow up their biggest weapon. The destruction of Starkiller Base was a huge loss, but they can’t admit that. 

“According to my connections, General Hux is heading up this political campaign and Kylo Ren is dealing with any lingering rebels. Those two have been trying to split leading the First Order since Snoke was killed, and from what we can tell, it’s not going well. Hux was always a prick, and Ren was always stubborn, so it’s not surprising they’re already divided. Most of the First Order forces are split too; they can’t risk another Starkiller. But in a week, they’ll all convene at the same place and then we might have a chance. 

“Hux called- or rather, demanded- a gathering on the planet Ebrion with other representatives and leaders from around the galaxy. Supposedly, it’s to help rebuild a political system, but we think it’s just an excuse to weed out any systems who don’t show their support for the First Order. Whatever it is, most of the First Order forces and leaders will be at the same place at the same time, and that gives us a good shot at doing some damage. 

“I wasn’t kidding when I said I couldn’t have planned this meeting any better. I was expecting Rey and a few random troops, but the four of you are exactly who I wanted to talk to. All of you have a special part to play, if you’re willing.” 

Phoenix paused, letting her words sink into her audience. Rey’s mind was working just to keep up…they really had been out of contact completely to what was happening in the galaxy. Leia’s death seemed to be all that mattered. But if what Phoenix said was right, they might still have a fighting chance to continue the Resistance. 

“So, FN-2187, Finn,” Phoenix’s voice snapped Finn back to attention. “As I mentioned, these defected Stormtroopers, they love you. In fact, some of them defected because of you. News apparently travels fast in the troops. According to a few, dissatisfaction with First Order tactics runs deep. Reconditioning isn’t so fun, I hear.” Finn’s face went pale at her words, and Rey realized she had never really talked to him about his life as a Stormtrooper. “I think if there’s a way to get your story out, we can push more troops to abandon their cause.” Finn smiled, clearly eager to accept his status as a celebrity. 

“Chewbacca,” Phoenix started, before being interrupted by a string of roars. She paused “You forget, I grew up with Ben Solo. Of course, I know who you are.” Chewie moaned softly, as if remembering who Kylo Ren used to be. “The First Order is being a bit too selective in their new system; non-humanoid species who don’t contribute anything of value to their new world are being spurned, or worse, enslaved or eliminated. Despite the fact that this hasn’t gone well for past systems in power, they seem to have already started. We need you to be an ambassador for these species, communicate that we value them, and that we want them to fight. Does that sound like something you could do?” Chewie’s roar of acceptance was almost deafening in the small room. Phoenix smiled before turning to Poe. 

“Poe Dameron, you and Lieutenant Connix are set to be the new faces of the Resistance. I had the pleasure of meeting Lieutenant Connix once, and though she has the gift of strategy and leadership, her people skills leave something to be desired. We need someone on Ebrion discretely passing our name and cause along to representatives who might oppose the First Order. We need someone with passion, with tact, and a pretty face doesn’t hurt.” Rey dug her nails into her palms at the last bit, but Poe nodded, not seeming to acknowledge the added compliment. 

“I can do it,” he replied. Rey unclenched her hands as Phoenix finally turned her gaze in her direction. 

“Rey,” she began, hesitating slightly. “Your task is the same as mine. We need Ben Solo. He’s been Kylo Ren for too long, and the only way the First Order is going to come crumbling down is if one of their leaders steps to our side. And that most likely won’t be General Hux.”

“No,” Rey snapped before Phoenix could even finish. “Trust me, I already tried once and he chose his path. It’s a lost cause.” Phoenix stared at her, and Rey could feel the Force throbbing between them with curiosity. If Phoenix wanted to probe, she respectfully kept it to herself. 

“Either way, we’ll meet Kylo Ren,” she stated, folding her hands on the table in front of them. “We’ll just either be bringing back Ben Solo, or leaving behind a corpse.” 

Hands sweating slightly, Rey gulped and nodded in agreement. Phoenix was right; while Kylo Ren was still alive, the First Order couldn’t die. 

“Alright, then,” Phoenix nodded in return. “Like I said, the gathering on Ebrion takes place in a week. That doesn’t give us much time. We’ll spend the night here to give you time to rest and contact Connix. If she wants to transport the rest of your remaining troops here, she’s more than welcome to do so. We have the room. In the morning, we go our separate ways.

“Finn, you’re with Stef. It’s hard to believe, but that big, bubbly man was once a Stormtrooper. He’s going to be working with you and a few techs to infiltrate the First Order com system and get your message out there. 

“Chewbacca, you’re with Jarcol. He’s quiet, but well connected with non-humanoid species. The Tholothians are amongst those no longer welcome under the First Order’s reign. Jarcol might seem calm, but they’re fierce fighters and were once a large part of the Jedi Council. 

“Poe, we have an insider who will help get you on Ebrion without raising any suspicion. He’s an attendant to the current representative from Naboo. When the truth about Leia’s birth parents got out, a large number of their population started expressing sympathy and support to her cause. But they’re so afraid of another war, they’ve kept quiet. We’re sneaking you in as a security guard. Whatever connections you make on Ebrion, keep quiet about taking action until we’re scheduled to meet. You’ll fly to Naboo tomorrow to meet up with our contact.

“Rey, we leave for Mustafar tomorrow. We’ll talk more on the trip over. Our task involves less sneaking around and more brute force.” Phoenix’s smile at the implication of violence made Rey uneasy. If she was once a Knight of Ren, bloodlust was most likely a part of her personality. Phoenix raised herself, strode over to the door that lead to the tunnel, and banged a few times. Upon hearing her signal, Jarcol and Stef returned. 

“Let’s introduce you to the troops,” she announced with a grin. Rey stood, noticing Stef slapping Finn on the back as if they were old friends. Chewie roared at Jarcol, who said nothing, but Rey thought she saw his face lift. She turned to Poe, whose presence next to her was radiating with excitement. 

“This is amazing,” he whispered. “It’s like someone else did all the hard work for us. I mean, it’s crazy, but this could actually work.” Their party exited out another door next to the fire, and Phoenix led them down another tunnel, this one better lit than the previous. Her boots rang out harshly on the concrete. 

“I know, I can’t believe it,” Rey breathed back, her stomach in knots. She could see all other aspects of the plan working but hers. How was she going to face Ben again? And the chances of him actually listening to them…they were essentially nonexistent. Phoenix led them down another flight of stairs, and stopped just before a large entrance to an underground hangar. 

“Alright, stay here. Let’s make an entrance.” She popped out from behind the concrete wall and Rey could hear her yelling to whoever was inside. At her grand announcement of their guests, a deafening roar filled the tunnel. How many people were living here? 

Rey found out as Stef and Jarcol pushed them all gently into the hangar. From what Rey could tell, two hundred people filled the room, all cheering and shouting their excitement. Surrounding them were old collected ships in repair, meals passed around, and an overwhelming sense of hope. Rey couldn’t help but emit a small laugh of disbelief. A cluster of men and women emerged from the crowd, chanting Finn’s name, who was all too happy to accept their praise. Rey noticed Poe laughing beside her. 

“He’s in heaven right now,” he exclaimed over all the commotion. Rey turned to see Phoenix beaming, her flame-colored hair radiating with her mood. She met Rey’s eye and winked. 

“Let’s get you guys settled in,” she offered, dragging them away from the spotlight. The cheers died down, but the buzz of elation still filled the room. They stopped by the makeshift kitchen just outside the hangar to grab food. Phoenix explained their self-sustaining harvesting system, which a few ex-First Order agriculture specialists had helped perfect. As far as Rey could tell, their base ran like a well-built machine and they wanted for very little. They had a talented group of mechanics, a group of skilled construction specialists, and a growing team of medical experts. Everyone who lived there somehow contributed to their colony, and other than the fact that they were in hiding, life on Quabos wasn’t so bad. 

“The only drawback is that most of our quarters are underground,” Phoenix explained as Rey ate whatever she could get her hands on. “I miss the sun, but I’d rather everyone stay save and avoid unexpected visitors. The less people who know we’re here, the better.

“After you’re done, Stef will take you to your living quarters for the night. They’re all concrete and boring, but I’ve seen worse. Except you, Rey. We need to talk weapons.” 

Rey swallowed her last bite quickly. “Weapons?”

“Rumor has it that you have a lightsaber. Do you still?”

Rey’s face fell as she took out the remnants of Luke’s saber from the bag across her shoulder. She placed it on the table in front of them as an answer. 

“Yikes,” Phoenix murmured, lifting one of the pieces to get a better look. “That’s pretty bad. But we’ll see what we can do. You finished?”

“Yep,” Rey replied, shoving one last bite in her mouth before rising. She glanced at Poe, who nodded a subtle goodbye as she followed Phoenix to their next destination.

“Lightsaber building isn’t a skill many have,” Phoenix explained as her shoes clicked down the corridor. Rey followed without question, still amazed at how expansive their underground network was. “But Ben figured it out and taught it to all the Knights eventually. This has been a side project of mine, but I’ve been trying to keep it a secret. Lightsaber mechanics can be dangerous, and talented as our technicians and weapon specialists are, this is something best done by a Force-wielder.”

They stopped at a heavy metal door that was covered in security locks. Phoenix had to press several panels of key codes before it swung open to reveal a long storage room filled with any weapon Rey could imagine. She gaped at the array of blasters, swords, crossbows, and strange deadly objects she had never seen before. Leading them down the vast hallway, Phoenix finally stopped at the very end, where there was a small space between two closets, only large enough to fit a small person. Phoenix kicked the wall with the heel of her boot and the wall swung behind itself. Squinting to get a better look in the dim lighting, Rey saw that a small room was tucked behind the crawl space. Phoenix squeezed herself through the wall, waving her hand for Rey to follow. 

Inside, there was a dark room, unadorned except for a few shelves, chests, and tools. Phoenix lit a small lantern at the entrance, casting light on a few piles of scrap metals strewn on the floor. 

“Sorry for the mess, I’m the only one who goes back here. Like I mentioned, once people who had access to the Force started showing up at my door, I knew I had to help eventually. In my escape from the Knights of Ren, I managed to steal a few raw parts and Kyber crystals that have helped build my supply of lightsaber materials here. And since then, I’ve been bartering and trading to get my hands on more. My hope was to build enough to train, eventually, but I just don’t have the time. Luckily, that means you have a few options. Are you attached to your saber? Or do you want a new one?” Phoenix raised the top of one of the chests, lowering the lantern so Rey could see the cluster of lightsaber hilts that lay inside. Rey’s heart stopped. 

“I-I don’t know.” Rey paused. This lightsaber was Luke’s, and that held so much weight to her. It had been through so much, and it was the last bit of the Jedi master they had. But it had always been Luke’s, never hers. “I think I’d like a new one, but I’ll keep this one with me, if that’s okay.”

“Suit yourself,” Phoenix shrugged. “Test the feel of the hilts here. These are the models closest to being done. Make sure it fits your hand and that you like the grip and balance. Once you decide, I’ll make the last adjustments to make sure it runs smoothly.” 

Rey eyed the pile greedily. She had always picked from scraps, leftovers from others. This was her chance to choose something new for herself. One by one, she held each lightsaber, feeling their weight in her hands, turning each on to reveal blues, greens, purples, and reds. Stopping at the red saber, she turned to Phoenix, who was twiddling with a wrench in the corner. 

“I thought red ones were for the Dark Side?” she inquired. Phoenix grinned.

“I have a red blade, and I wouldn’t associate myself with the Dark Side. I’m certainly not a Jedi either. If you ask me, you can have a little bit of both in you.” 

Rey turned back to her pile of hilts, smiling softly as she picked up a silver curved-hilt with a blue blade. It reminded her of Luke’s but it molded perfectly to the form of her hand and felt like an extension of her arm. 

“Those curved-hilts are fun,” Phoenix mentioned from behind her. “A lot of people don’t prefer them, but supposedly they allow for more precision. How does it feel?”

“Perfect,” Rey replied, twirling the weapon in her hand to test it once more. The Force glowed around it, and where she found fear the first time she touched Luke’s lightsaber, she found familiarity and comfort with her new blade. 

“Fantastic. And if we make it through all this, I’ll help you repair the other one. It’s Luke’s, if I’m not mistaken.” Rey nodded, facing Phoenix and noticing for the first time a sadness in her eyes as she smiled again, this time bitterly. “Ben destroyed so much that night. Luke was my master too.”

“I know what happened. He told me.” Rey handed the lightsaber hilt over to Phoenix, who was slow to accept it. 

“I’m sure he did. I know why Ben did it. But even after all these years, I haven’t been able to fully forgive him,” the bitter smile erased off her face. “We were friends, once,” she said quietly. 

“What happened?” Rey asked softly. Phoenix leaned back against a wall, her gaze falling to the ground. She sighed, turning Rey’s lightsaber in her hand. 

“I came to Luke when I was four years old. My parents had me shipped off; my father was trying to climb the political ladder on our home planet and having a daughter that can lift things and predict the future wasn’t ideal. I had a dream that my brother died, and a week later, he was killed in a racing accident. My mother was convinced that it was my fault, and that was all the reason they needed. 

“Coming to the Jedi Order, to Luke, felt like coming home. There were all these other children who were just like me, and Ben was one of them. We grew up together. It’s hard to imagine, but there was a time where Ben was this perfect mix of his father’s sense of humor and his mother’s kindness,” Phoenix’s lips twitched as she dove into her memories. “But as we got older, things started to change.

“Ben became more reclusive, he stopped smiling and joking, he stopped extending kindness. It was so subtle at first, and the change was gradual, but it was like one morning I woke up and my best friend was gone. I tried talk to him, to do something, but he pushed me away each time I tried. I knew something was wrong. 

“Then one night, I woke up and my whole world was burning. I couldn’t breathe through the smoke and could barely see the person who was next to me, shaking me awake. It was Ben, and he was yelling something about needing to leave. I thought someone had attacked us. I tried to stand, but I was too weak and my mind was hazy. I felt his arms under me, trying to carry me out of the burning hut. Then I felt an incredible pain on the side of my head and everything went dark…” her voice trailed off as she brushed her fingers lightly on the scars lining the side of her head. Rey saw they trailed down her neck, but couldn’t see how far under her black tunic. 

“When I finally woke up, I was on a strange, hot planet surrounded by unfamiliar medical equipment. One of the other Padawans, Faiza, saw I was awake and explained everything. Ben had destroyed the Jedi Order, but we were going to create something new. We were the new Knights of Ren and everyone in the galaxy was going to fear our names. 

“I wanted to scream, I wanted to run my lightsaber through her heart, I wanted to wrap my hands around Ben’s neck for destroying everything I loved. But I knew I couldn’t; I was still in an unstable condition and Ben was already far away playing Snoke’s lapdog. My options were limited: I could fight back and die immediately, or wait it out and hope to escape. I chose the latter. 

“Five years ago, I faked my own death. And I did a pretty damn good job. You’ll see Mustafar soon; it’s not a friendly planet and accidents can happen easily. I don’t think anyone questioned it, and I think it’s safe to assume no one knows I’m alive. Or no one cares.

“Rey,” Phoenix finally paused. “I can sense that you think there is still good in him. And I hope you’re right, I really do. We’re going to try. I don’t want to lose Ben Solo either.” Rey met her eyes and sensed there was more to her story, but decided not to ask. 

“Let’s get you to your barracks,” Phoenix suggested, lifting the opening in the wall to let Rey through.


	5. Chapter 5

Following Phoenix back through the maze of hallways, Rey digested everything she had revealed. She still felt compassion for Ben, how he awoke to find his master preparing to murder him, but her heart broke for everyone else destroyed by his decision. Had he even considered anyone else before he burned the temple down that night? Had Snoke stolen any sense of his empathy? 

Eventually, they turned a corner and found a small corridor with a cluster of rooms. Phoenix punched a keypad to open one of them; it was modest, but an improvement from the stone hut on Takodana. It held a bed palette, a small table, a few chairs, and the smallest washing station Rey had ever seen. 

“Your comrades are in the other rooms,” Phoenix nodded towards the other doors in the hall. Before she left, she placed the lightsaber hilt in Rey’s hand.

“I thought you said you had to work on it a bit?” Rey questioned. 

“I’m not sure whether it was a Force thing or just dumb luck,” Phoenix’s straight teeth flashed into a smirk. “But that’s the only one in the chest that’s completely finished. I just made the final tweaks a few days ago. It’s all yours. I’d practice tonight, if I were you.”

As Phoenix closed the door behind her, Rey flashed her new blade, thrilled to have something new and all hers. Twirling and swinging the saber, she was elated with how light it felt, how perfectly it soared through the air. Phoenix had been right about the curved hilt; the precision was incredible. Carefully taking note of the size of her room, Rey began repeating old practice routines she had made on Ahch-To. Even in these dark underground tunnels, she could feel the Force flowing through the room, awareness of everything waking up inside her. 

How long she practiced, Rey couldn’t tell, but finally was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Rey retracted the blade and yelled for them to come in. Finn and Poe entered, each wearing a smile.

“Just spoke to Connix, I don’t think I’ve ever heard her this worked up,” Poe laughed. “They’re collecting what they can and hoping to land here by late tomorrow.”

“Any word on Rose?” Rey asked, hopeful for good news. 

“She’s stable,” Finn replied, relieved. “She hasn’t woken up just yet, but they can move her without issue. And the medical staff here is way more equipped than what we had on Takodana. She’ll be in good hands.”

“Yes, she will be.” Rey beamed at his excitement. “I see your head’s still the same size despite your new popularity.” Finn rolled his eyes. 

“Hey, don’t be jealous just because I’m finally getting the attention I deserve. Those ex-troopers are ready to do some damage. Most of them had escaped from a reconditioning facility. They’re nasty places. I’m glad I never had to go to one. Sounds like we’re going to try to infiltrate the First Order communications system from here. Something about the fog and atmosphere on Quabos makes it hard to track signals from the planet.” 

“That’s great. Poe, what about you?” Rey flushed slightly as his name slipped off her lips. 

“Spoke to a security personnel from Naboo. I’ll fly there tomorrow on one of the recently restored ships, meet up with their team, and then we’ll be off to Ebrion. Seems pretty straightforward. What does Phoenix have planned for the two of you?”

“Well, we’ll head to Mustafar tomorrow and do our best…” Rey’s voice trailed off as she realized how over simplistic their plan sounded compared to the others. “Oh, and look at this!” she whipped out her new lightsaber, which was met with shock and admiration. All three gushed over the intricate details, Poe admired the build, and Finn attempted to hold it but failed miserably. 

“I could barely hold a straight lightsaber, I don’t have a chance with this curved thing,” he laughed as he chucked it back to Rey. “I’m going to go find the other ex-troopers. They wanted to all sit around and tell First Order horror stories and I said I’d join. You two are welcome to come with, unless you have other plans…” Finn raised his eyebrows, and Rey wished he was within punching range. 

“Get out of here,” Poe shoved Finn out the door, laughing. Shutting the door behind Finn, Poe walked over and sat himself on one of the white plastic chairs. Rey followed, noting how damp her palms had just become. They were alone, without BB-8 or Finn or anyone else to distract them. The thought was unsettling. 

“Okay,” Poe leaned forward, setting his elbows on the small table. “I know it’s probably stupid of me to say this, but just indulge me. Will you promise me you’ll be careful?” 

“Poe, I’ll be fine,” Rey stifled back a laugh. 

“I know, I know. I know you can handle yourself, I know you’re an incredible fighter, and I know you can use the hell out of a lightsaber. I just wanted to say, this Resistance needs you. I just…I want you to be…safe.” Unless the lights were playing tricks on her, Rey could make out the faintest of redness creeping up on his face. 

“I’ll be with Phoenix, I’m sure that counts for something.” 

“Yeah,” Poe scoffed. “I don’t trust her. Clearly, she’s doing something right. But something about her rubs me the wrong way. And I know you’ve faced Kylo Ren before, but the two of you facing the entirety of his troops on Mustafar makes me nervous.” 

“It does sound kinda bad, doesn’t it?” 

“Kinda?” Poe laughed before looking into her eyes. “Just promise me you’ll come back, okay?” 

“I promise…” as the words slipped out of Rey’s mouth, she saw his hands reach down slowly to meet hers. His skin was calloused from years of mechanical work, but somehow still soft. Rey lost the ability to think or breathe as he cradled her hands in his. He was so close; she could see the divots and creases in his olive skin, the flecks of light in his hooded brown eyes, the soft crease of his lips. Rey leaned in, slowly, not entirely sure of what she wanted. One of Poe’s hands traveled up to brush a wisp of her dark hair away from her face. The soft touch was electrifying, and she could feel a surge of the Force swelling through her chest. 

A roar from outside her door made Rey jump in her chair, hands flying back to her sides as Chewie called that it was time for dinner. 

“We should probably go,” Poe breathed a small laugh. “I don’t think that Wookie likes me all that much already, and this won’t help my case.” Rey laughed nervously. She didn’t want to leave the room, or Poe. As she got up to leave, Poe’s hand caught hers again. She paused, looking back to lock her gaze with his. 

“Remember, be safe,” he whispered as his thumb caressed her skin. 

“I’ll try,” Rey gave him a small smile as they exited the room, dropping their hands. Poe was right; Chewie was a bit overprotective and could rip his hand off if he was in the right mood. They met the Wookie out in the hall, and working together to retrace steps, they eventually found the kitchen hub. Finn was already there, surrounded by the ex-troopers, and laughing at their exchange of stories. Rey grabbed a tray of food and sat quietly in the corner, preferring to watch and listen. In a few ways, the scene reminded of her of the old trading posts on Jakku, pilots and smugglers swapping stories of narrow escapes or dangerous runs. Savoring the boisterous laughs and cries of camaraderie, she glanced around to take note of the diverse group that made up the Quabos colony. Phoenix was right; they had a little bit of everything here. 

“Excuse me,” a soft voice interrupted next to her. Rey turned to find a young boy, only twelve or so, standing shyly next to her. “Are you Rey?”

“Yeah,” Rey choked, mouth still full of food. “I’m Rey. What’s your name?”

“Kiel,” he replied, face flushing. He had dark skin, darker than Finn’s, and bright, striking green eyes. They stared at Rey, wide as plates. “I’m like you.”

“You can use the Force?” Rey smiled, and Kiel’s face lit up with pride and excitement. 

“I think so. Or Phoenix says I can. I’m not very good. But maybe you could teach me a few things sometime?” 

“Tell you what,” Rey hunched over in her chair to lean closer. “I have to go away for a little bit to help with a few things. But I’ll come back. I don’t know much, but I can teach you everything Master Luke told me.”

The boy’s eyes got even wider at the mention of Luke Skywalker’s name and a wide grin stretched across his face. He took off, speeding around the corner. Rey smiled; the atmosphere throughout the base was so casual and light, even though they were all in hiding. Children could run around and still had the chance for a normal life, one without fear or uncertainty. If facing Ben meant she could help provide the same thing for children across the galaxy, the risk was well worth it. 

They spent the rest of the night talking, laughing, and getting to know everyone who called the Quabos colony home. Rey had never experienced so much hospitality. It was late before she and Poe dragged Finn away from the crowd. 

“Finn, get a grip,” Rey groaned as they finally pulled themselves away. “Where’d Chewie go?”

“He and Jarcol already left,” Poe replied. “I saw them slip away after dinner. He doesn’t seem like the type for big goodbye’s.”

“No, I guess he’s not,” Rey was saddened by the Wookie’s secret departure, hoping that wherever he and the Tholothian were off to, it wasn’t too dangerous. BB-8 beeped, rolling behind them to keep up. 

“Sorry, buddy. You’re too recognizable to come with me. Remember that time the whole galaxy was hunting for you? Connix will be here soon, though. She’ll need you.” Poe seemed to be convincing himself as well as the droid that their split would be for the best. 

“You can hang out with me, BB-8, it’ll be just like old times,” Finn piped up. BB-8 replied with something sarcastic that made Finn frown and Rey giggle. Rey stopped as they reached her door. 

“Night guys,” she called, as they both moved to their own shared room. She caught Poe’s eye momentarily and smiled before shutting the door behind her. Someone, she found, had laid out some extra clothes for her and a few comforts she hadn’t seen in a while, even on the D’Qar Resistance base. Aside from the standard toiletries, there was a hairbrush, a small bottle of lavender scented oil, and a strip of leather, presumably to tie her hair up. Rey ran her fingers through her messy brown locks, which were getting much too long for her liking. She had always kept it short and out of the way to fight the Jakku heat, but now there didn’t seem to be a point in cutting it. 

After taking a long shower in the washing station, Rey dabbed some of the oil on her fingers and rubbed it over the rough patches that covered her elbows, knees, and hands. The only thing the room was lacking was a window, but other than the underground darkness, it was fairly comfortable. Easing herself into the small bed on the floor, she felt her eyes growing heavy almost immediately. Her thoughts filled with hope and the touch of Poe’s hand on hers, she drifted into sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Walking to the kitchen to grab something before her departure, Rey couldn’t remember the last time she felt so well-rested. Her sleep had been dreamless and sound. Rounding the corner, she saw Finn, Poe, and BB-8 already seated at a table. 

“We didn’t want to miss you before you left,” Finn explained, as he passed Rey a plate to fill. 

“Thanks,” Rey answered, piling a heap of vegetables and bread in front of her. 

“Your hair’s different,” Poe observed, tilting his head to get a better look. Rey’s face turned red at the comment. She had used the new leather to tie it back a slightly different way, but she didn’t think it was noticeable. 

“Um, yeah a bit,” Rey muttered. BB-8 chirped his approval. “Thanks, BB. So, any more news of when Connix and the others will get there?” she asked, hoping to divert the attention away from herself. 

“Yep, someone from the coms department passed me this morning. They packed everything overnight and are headed out in a few hours. Guess Maz is leaving Takodana and coming here too. Supposedly she can’t rebuild her castle until this whole war thing is over. Something about it being bad for business,” Finn’s face lit up as he dove into the details. Rey knew who he was most looking forward to seeing. 

As she made her way through the food on her plate, Rey stole a few glances at Poe when she could. She knew she had to leave with Phoenix, but there was an ache in her chest whenever she thought about going. Just as she finished eating, Phoenix strolled into the kitchen, dressed in all black again. She spotted their party and walked briskly over. 

“Great, you’re all up. Rey, we should head out soon. The ship’s ready, whenever you are. It’s in the left-hand corner of the hangar. The rest of you, good luck. May the Force be with you,” she smirked as she flew off towards the hangar, red hair bouncing wildly. A silence settled over their table as the potential finality of the goodbye set in. 

“Don’t be dramatic, we’ve faced worse-” Rey started.

“I’m not worried about us, you’re the one who has to go pick a fight with a psychopath,” Finn exclaimed. 

“He’s not…well, I don’t think he’s a psychopath. I couldn’t get through to him before. But Phoenix seems to have some sort of history with him. Maybe that’ll make a difference.”

“That’s a pretty big ‘maybe’…” Finn grumbled. Rey got up from the table and the other two followed as she made her way towards the only functioning ship prepared to leave: a small First Order cargo hold. 

“Look, I’m not going to get into some big goodbye. We’ll see each other again soon.” Rey smiled reassuringly, though she wasn’t sure her words were true. 

“Fine,” Finn enveloped her into a hug, patting her on the back. “No goodbye for you, get out of here.” As he let go and headed back towards the kitchen, Poe lingered. 

“You remember your promise, right?” he smiled. 

“I remember. You be careful yourself, okay?” Rey smiled back. Poe pulled her gently into an embrace, and Rey’s whole body warmed at the touch. Inhaling and breathing in the fresh scent of his hair, she wrapped her arms around his wide back, savoring every second. 

“Okay,” he breathed, just for her to hear. They broke apart, and Rey could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Rey took Poe’s hand and squeezed it gently, looking into his brown eyes one more time, then boarded the ship before she had any more time to second guess leaving. 

The cargo ship was smaller than most, but seemed to be in decent shape. Phoenix was at the control panel, putting in their coordinates. She turned, hearing Rey enter. 

“Done saying goodbye?” she asked, with a small twitch of her lips. “I hear you’re a hell of a pilot. Want to help me get this piece of trash out of here?” 

“Sure,” Rey sat down at the panel, realizing the cargo ship’s controls were almost laughably simple. She stopped herself from reacting to Phoenix’s attempt to press the correct controls. 

“I never said I was a pilot,” she laughed, clearly noticing Rey’s observation, “You can take it from here.” Rey continued prepping the ship, and in a few minutes, they started lifting off the ground. Above them, the top of the hangar hinged open to the foggy morning skies. Rey maneuvered them straight out, the mountains shooting down next to them. As she programmed the ship to their coordinates, she realized there were no hyper speed controls. 

“So, no hyper speed then?” Rey asked, missing the Falcon. 

“Ah, no, unfortunately. We’re stuck with whatever ship we can steal or find and restore. This is one of the few First Order models we’ve been able to get running, so it’ll have to do. Mustafar isn’t too distant though. We should be able to make it there by nightfall. Plenty of time to go over what needs to happen. 

“Mustafar is a world coated in lava, which Ben chose as a base for the Knights of Ren for obvious personal reasons. Darth Vader himself had a castle there that has since become their base. It’s a dangerous planet; not many have reason to venture there, so aside from a few squadrons of troopers and the other Knights, it’s uninhabited. One of our contacts on the inside notified us that Ben returned to Mustafar after Crait and has yet to emerge. We think he’ll be on Ebrion when the gathering happens, so we need to catch him before he leaves.

“A few First Order fire troopers defected about a year ago, so we’ll wear their armor when we land. Typical trooper armor is totally useless, but these are fireproofed and pretty heavy duty. That castle was my home for a few years. I think our best bet is to scale the sides and avoid as many Stormtroopers as possible, though I’m sure our arrival will eventually draw attention. From there, I think we’ll have to just wing it. Sound good?” 

“Sure,” Rey leaned back in her chair. “I guess so.” 

“Something’s bothering you,” Phoenix cocked her head. Rey hesitated, then decided there was nothing left to lose. 

“I already tried, Phoenix. I don’t know what else we can do or say to bring Ben back. I don’t want to face him. Last night was the first night I haven’t been ripped apart by nightmares, by him…”

“It’s the fog,” she interrupted. “I don’t know why, but something about Quabos quiets your dreams. I noticed it my first night there. It was a huge reason why I decided to stay. I understand nightmares…I really do. I haven’t had one in five years.” 

“I envy you, mine have bothered me ever since I was a kid and my parents left me on Jakku.” 

“Ah, parents. Sounds like yours were just as loving as mine,” Phoenix replied, her voice thick with sarcasm. “I always hated whenever Ben complained about his. Han and Leia had their faults, and their marriage was awful from what I could tell, but at least they were there. At least they wanted him.” 

“It’s strange to hear you talk about him, about Han and Leia. And Luke. I grew up with Han Solo and Luke Skywalker as legends. You grew up with them as a part of your everyday life.” 

“Eh,” Phoenix shrugged. “They were people just like us. Why knows, maybe someday we’ll be legends too. You already are. Kiel isn’t the only kid in the galaxy who’s heard stories about your adventures.”

“I told him I’d come back, teach him if I could. If we win this war, I don’t have a place in this world. I don’t have a family or home to go back to. But if I could come back to Quabos, I think I’d like that. The whole no-nightmares thing is a big selling point,” Rey smiled. 

“You’d be more than welcome. If you don’t mind, I’m going to try to relax while I can. Clear my mind and all that Jedi junk.” Rey nodded as Phoenix walked to the back of the ship, crossing her legs and sitting on the floor. The Force around her pulsed softly as she started meditating, and Rey made sure the ship was safely on autopilot before joining. 

The Force cradled her mind for the remainder of their flight. Rey stopped only to eat and relieve herself in the small washing station at the back of the ship. The last time she had meditated was on Ahch-To, and she relished its comfort. Before she knew it, the control panel emitted an alert identifying their approach to the Mustafar system. 

“That would be our cue to change,” Phoenix tossed her a box that contained the fire trooper armor. It was black as coal, heavy, and Rey hated it as soon as she touched it. Once it was on, she felt weighed down and unfordable. 

“How are we supposed to fight in these?” she complained. 

“If you press this button,” Phoenix pointed to a green control on the breast panel, “it releases the outer shell. Still not ideal, but it’s an improvement if it comes to a saber battle. The armor has a holster for blasters and additional weapons, so I’d store your lightsaber there.”

“Got it. Do I look like a Stormtrooper?” 

“You’d fool me,” Phoenix laughed, pulling what remained of her thick hair into a bun at the base of her neck. “Look, I don’t know what connection you and Ben have. But it’s crucial you monitor it closely once we land. Physical proximity makes that harder, but if he catches wind of you, our cover is blown.” 

“What about you?”

“They all think I’m dead, but I’m pretty good at shutting people out and hiding. I’ll be fine.” 

Rey nodded. “Where do you want to land this thing?”

“I took the coordinates of the castle and plotted our landing about a mile off. No one should notice us.”

“They don’t have an alert system for any incoming ships?”

Phoenix rolled her eyes. “The Knights of Ren think too highly of themselves. They were always confident that they’d be able to sense any unwelcome visitors. I doubt they’ve changed much.” 

“Perfect,” Rey began monitoring their landing as they approached the red boiling planet. “You ready?”

“Oh, absolutely. I’m ready to do some damage. And remember, we come out with Ben Solo or nothing at all.” Phoenix spotted Rey’s involuntary flinch. “I don’t like it either, but it’s our only option.” 

Lowering them onto the planet’s surface, Rey could see the mass amount of smoke and steam emitting from the rivers of lava below. 

“How could anyone want to live here?” she asked, repulsed by the terrain. “I thought Jakku was harsh.” 

“Ask Darth Vader. Supposedly it’s where the bleeding Kyber crystals are harvested. That’s what make lightsabers red.” Phoenix leaned forward to get a better look as the cargo ship landed on a clear plateau of black rock. “Can’t say I missed it.” 

After ensuring their landing surface was sturdy, both donned their helmets. Rey could barely see; it reminded her of the old mask she used while scavenging on Jakku. 

“Let’s get this over with,” Phoenix’s muffled voice emitted through the helmet. Exiting the ship, the temperature change hit Rey, stifling her breath even through the helmet filter. It felt as if the world around them was melting. Trudging their way over rubble, rock, and small streams of lava, Rey was relieved to find that the suits were indeed fire and heat resistance. Their journey seemed to take forever, though she knew it was only a mile. As they reached the crest of a small hill, Phoenix crouched, motioning for Rey to follow. Ahead, she could see the peak of a sleek structure that towered over the dark terrain. 

“That’s our final destination. I have the gear for scaling in my pack, and hopefully these suits will blend in enough to give us cover until we get close. We’ll move slow. Ready?”

“Yep,” Rey breathed through the helmet. The pit in her stomach got larger the further they went, and she could feel her hair sticking to the sweat on the back of her neck. Focusing all her energy on keeping her connection to the Force neutral, Rey followed Phoenix as they approached the castle in front of them. She could feel the darkness of the Force clouding around the building, and the obsidian towers blended into the surrounding black smoke. 

Finally, they reached the back side of the structure, and Phoenix unloaded the pack she carried behind her. Mechanical grappling hooks and wire spilled out, and the two worked clumsily through their gloves to untangle it all. Once everything was set, Phoenix loaded one of the hooks into a small gun, which silently blasted the hook towards the top of the tower. She nodded, confirming it had worked, and strapped one of the matching hooks into a harness. She tossed the other harness to Rey. 

“See the top window on the third floor?” she motioned towards an angular window that glowed with orange light. “That’s where we need to land. There’s a ledge we’ll be able to use to get a small look inside before we break the window.”

Without waiting for Rey’s confirmation, Phoenix strapped both their harnesses into the wire and pushed a small button to send them flying upwards. Rey was immediately nauseated, the feeling of weightlessness mixing with the heat. As they reached the window, Phoenix thumbed another switch to slow them down to land on the narrow ledge. Rey fought her anxiety, knowing that any strong emotion could cause a noticeable disturbance in the Force. 

“Right,” Phoenix continued, struggling to unclip their harnesses through the bulky armor. “I doubt we’ll get very far before we’re noticed, but let’s try our best. Ben’s normally brooding in his wing of the castle, which were the chambers they used to use to revitalize Darth Vader years ago. That’s a level above this. If we can jam the panel controls on this level, we should be able to hold off any troopers who are on the floors below us. Doors won’t hold any Knights for long, but it might buy us time to get upstairs.” She pushed another button on the harness contraption and the lines above detached from the building and flew back into a tangled mess in her lap, which she promptly stuffed back in her bag. Struggling to get a good look through the helmet and colored glass, Rey spotted a few blurred figures on the other side. 

“There’s someone inside,” she murmured through the mask, hoping whoever they were, they couldn’t hear them. She sensed the Force around Phoenix shift slightly and make its way inside cautiously. Phoenix’s helmet emitted a metal laugh. 

“Just a few troopers. Perfect.” Suddenly, Rey felt a drastic disturbance in the Force around her companion. What was moments ago a calm sea had turned into sharp pins. Rey recoiled involuntarily, noticing the figures inside had slumped and collapsed without a sound. Her horror hidden behind her mask, Rey could feel their necks snapping, their last breaths leaving their bodies. 

“Just a trick I taught myself the last few years. Only works on the weak-minded, don’t worry,” Phoenix continued to make sure her pack was secure, her casual tone putting Rey on edge. It wasn’t the first time her bloodlust and nonchalant view of death and violence made Rey uncomfortable. Rey paused, feeling the movements of Ben’s presence slightly before them. Adjusting her mindset, she pushed him away, knowing that if she felt him, he could most likely feel her. 

Phoenix put a hand on Rey’s shoulder, signaling their next step. Using her heavily armored fist, she shattered the glass before them, only to use the Force with her other hand to keep the glass from falling noisily on the ground. The glass suspended above them, orange crystals twinkling around the interior of the castle. Polished obsidian coated each surface, and Rey could see their reflection in the dark wall in front of them. Gently, Phoenix lowered the broken glass silently onto the floor. 

“Control panel is over there,” Phoenix nodded towards an ornate door down a short corridor to their right. “Work your magic.”

Relieved to finally have something to contribute, Rey lowered herself onto the floor and hurried over to the panel. Other than its age, the technology was fairly straightforward and it was only a few moments before she secured a lockdown. 

“Done,” she noted, pushing the last control and making her way back to where Phoenix stood. The dark pull of the Force inside the castle was almost overwhelming, and Rey could sense Phoenix’s disgust at their surroundings. She nodded in response, then lead them wordlessly down the opposite corridor. 

There were no lights to illuminate their path, but Rey could see tiny reflections of movement on the surfaces surrounding them. She felt as if they were moving further into the stomach of a beast or monster, the darkness swallowing them. As they exited the corridor, they came across a grand staircase, speckled with flecks of rubies and fiery gems. The sight was almost beautiful, and then Rey heard a dark laugh. 

“We thought you were dead,” a deep voice penetrated the silence from above. Slowly three shadowed figures emerged, slowly making their way down the stairs. Each were hooded in a blood red cloak, and Rey could feel the murderous heat of the dark swirling around them. They were wild animals, preparing to circle their prey. Rey heard Phoenix swear softly next to her, as she pushed the release button on her armor, revealing a simple black jumpsuit underneath. She took her helmet off, her red hair plastered to her head with sweat. Rey followed her lead, stripping off the clunky trooper gloves. 

“Well, it turns out you don’t know everything,” Phoenix bellowed back, her voice full of confidence, a frenzy of excitement surrounding her figure. It was revenge, Rey realized, that throbbed through the Force around her. 

“And you brought a friend,” another voice replied, heavily coated with a thick accent. As their opponents made their way down the staircase, Rey caught glimpses of the faces beneath the cloaks: a huge male with luminously white skin and long blonde hair, a female with eyes as white as snow, and another male with a rough black beard and a face covered with scars. 

“Rey,” Phoenix whispered. “Ben’s in that room at the top of the stairs. I can feel him. Get there. I can hold them off.” Rey unclipped the lightsaber from her holster, feeling the curved hilt in her hand, ready to be used. She saw Phoenix reach for her weapon too, though instead of a traditional lightsaber, she drew out two hilts tied together by a long fiber cord. Igniting the two blades, the room was drenched in red. The glimmer from Rey’s blue saber intermixed, and the three figures all broke out into laughter, the igniting red from their weapons creating a crimson glow around the room.

“You didn’t just bring any friend,” the woman without eyes cackled. “You brought her.” Like the Praetorian Guard that she battled with Ben on the Supremacy, each Knight wielded a unique variant of lightsaber: one double-sided, one forked, and one traditional. Rey’s face flushed with anger at the thought that these strangers could know her, but as she reached out to grasp the Force, she found that the Knights were thrown off by their presence, despite their words. They truly had believed Phoenix to be dead, and weren’t expecting for Rey to be there. It wasn’t much, but it could work to their advantage. 

“How disappointed Ren will be when he finds out he didn’t get to finish you off himself,” the large pale man smiled, before launching himself down the stairs.


	7. Chapter 7

Unlike the Praetorian Guard, who had been hindered by bulky armor and helmets, the Knights flowed through the air weightlessly and slammed against Rey and Phoenix like a pounding wave. Blocking a blow from the woman’s red blade, Rey only had seconds before another one made its way towards her. Reaching to grasp the Force, she could feel the swirling shapes and darkness before she could see them, could feel the rumble of Phoenix’s joy in battle, could feel the hatred churning in their opponents. Rey twisted, blocked, ducked and swung, keeping her mind focusing on the world around her as best she could. Red blades clashed as Phoenix swung her linked sabers with astounding accuracy, and Rey noticed that her blows were becoming increasingly precise as she felt her hilt meld with her hand in battle. 

A hot iron barely grazed her leg as blonde man’s double-sided weapon swung towards her legs. Arching her back and swinging the hilt in her hand, Rey swiveled her blue blade like a wheel to meet the side of his ribs. A pained groan pierced through the clash of battle, and without hesitation, Rey revolved the hilt again to slice through his back. His life Force slipped away, and before she had time to register Phoenix’s laugh of victory, a shimmering red light approached her shoulder. 

Deflecting the blow, Rey turned to see the woman, eyes wide and white, emit a murderous scream before hammering another attempt at Rey’s life. Her cloak had fallen off, and Rey saw that her head was shaved completely, bulging with blue veins. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Phoenix swinging her linked sabers to block and deliver jabs at the bearded man’s forked blade. To her horror, Rey stumbled, momentarily distracted, and felt the woman’s saber kiss her arm. Rolling to the side, Rey crouched, gasping for a breath as her predator stalked her across the room. The woman’s chest heaved as she approached, her blade ready to strike

Stay here, Rey could feel the Force flowing around her, fighting for calm in the chaotic darkness. Just a few moments longer. As the lightsaber moved to meet her, Rey swung her leg out, kicking the woman’s feet from beneath her, slashing at the red blade to knock it away. The woman recovered quickly, motioning for the weapon to return to her grasp. Momentarily distracted, she barely had time to respond before Rey’s saber swiped off her extended hand. Another anguished scream filled the room, as Rey plunged her blade into her heart. 

Rising and struggling to maintain even breathing, Rey saw that Phoenix was still engaged with the bearded man, sparks flying around them. As Rey ran to help, she heard the thunderous sound of troops approaching throughout the castle. 

“I can hold them off,” Phoenix yelled, “Go, Rey!” Turning her back on the duel, Rey bolted up the glistening staircase towards the massive metal doors that loomed above her. They opened automatically at her approach, beckoning her into a dark empty chamber with ceilings so high she couldn’t see the top of the room. The circular room was dark except a few soft lights that illuminated the center, where a simple padded cushion lay on a flat platform. The doors shut behind her, closing her off from the noise of battle. Silence surrounded her, but she knew she wasn’t alone. 

“Why are you here?” she heard Ben’s voice echo from the other side of the chamber. Something shifted, and he slowly made his way towards the lighted center. Rey felt the Force around her struggle to maintain calm; he looked just as he had last time she saw him, when she forced their connection shut after leaving Crait. The scar she gave him still etched across his jaw, but it had faded. Rey could feel his presence throbbing with anticipation, with uncertainty, with question. He hadn’t expected her to come. 

“Ben,” Rey began to plead. “I know you wouldn’t go with me before. But please, we need you. Leia’s dead. You must have felt it. She would’ve wanted you to come home.” She felt his emotions rise at the mention of his mother’s name, a surge of guilt and anger bubbling from his heart. 

“I made my choice,” he gritted through his teeth, poison sinking into his gaze. “And you made yours. You had your chance. I would’ve preferred one of those idiots killing you, but I’ll do it if I have to. The Resistance is dead, Rey, you know that. Coming here was foolish.” She could feel the anger boiling over, the years of Snoke’s brainwash and control pouring into his mind.

“We had to try,” Rey gripped the hilt of her saber, readying for his attack, which came swiftly. Ben’s long legs carried him quickly over the expansive room, his black figure darting through the air towards her. Breathing deeply before the first blow, she steadied her connection with the Force. The room slowed around her as Ben twisted his torso to strike at her. 

Blocking the hits became difficult after the first few, as Rey remembered that she had already exhausted so much of her energy from trekking across Mustafar and dueling with the other Knights. Despite her attempts to reach out to the Force for strength, she felt herself faltering, her defenses lowering slowly. Ben could see it, she knew, but it only built his resolve to solidify his choice. His deep eyes took on a red glow as his presence slipped into dark unconsciousness, unable to see the plea in Rey’s eyes for understanding. 

Finally, one of the hits caught Rey off balance, forcing her to tumble onto the ground. She rolled to get herself more distance away from Ben, but he was slowly closing the gap. Suddenly, the doors to the chamber opened, giving way to the chaos below, pulling Ben’s attention away from her. Rey saw Phoenix’s figure march into the room, red hair ignited by the two blades in her hand. The door closed behind her, entrapping them all in the silence-filled chamber. 

“Damn it, Ben,” she yelled, growling with fury. “Don’t make us kill you.” 

Rey turned, feeling an enormous shift in the Force, to see Ben’s reaction. His mouth hung open, eyes bulging out of his head, defenses completely dropped. Rey had never felt him so vulnerable, so open, so raw, not even when they touched hands on Ahch-To. His chest heaved as he struggled to regain his composure. 

“You were supposed to be dead. They told me you had died,” he stuttered, still gaping at Phoenix as if she were a ghost come back to life. 

“It’s not hard to fake your own death when no one cares,” Phoenix shot back, a hard edge to her tone. Rey sensed her anger, resentment, and hate building up as she strode towards them. 

“I didn’t- I couldn’t…”

“YOU LEFT ME, BEN,” Phoenix screamed, unleashing her fury. “You took everything from me, the only home I ever had, the only people who ever cared about me, and then you DUMPED ME ON THIS HELLISH PLANET AND LEFT.” A strange wind began to pick up around them as the air within the chamber began to churn around Phoenix, who was standing on the center platform, crimson hair lifting in the storm she was creating. 

“I had to,” Ben cried, his black cloak flapping, tears stinging his eyes. “You were safe here.”

“SAFE?” Phoenix released a malicious cackle, which increased the speed of the rising air. “Trapped with other murders and psychopaths while you went to be a pawn in Snoke’s game. That’s all you ever were to them, Ben!” 

“Not anymore. I killed Snoke. The First Order is under my command now. No one controls me.” Rey lifted her hand to shield her face from the harsh wind, struggling to hear the two yelling at each other. She felt the floor tremble beneath them. 

“Is that really what you think?” Phoenix demanded. “All those years, did they mean anything to you? The Jedi Order forbade strong emotional attachments but Luke was always lenient on that rule. And then Snoke got into your head and then none of it mattered. I didn’t matter.” Rey could see tears starting to well up in her eyes, from anger or from anguish. Ben slowly dropped his lightsaber, though it was still ignited. 

“That’s not… Phoenix, you don’t understand.” At the sound of her name, a few tears began to stream down Phoenix’s face as the wind died down slightly. 

“I don’t need to. You ruined my life. You stole my happiness. And you sure as hell don’t deserve a second chance. But she’s willing to give you one, and so are others” Phoenix nodded towards where Rey still sat crouched on the ground. Ben’s eyes darted between the two women, the Force around him shaky with confusion. 

“I can’t go back, not after what I’ve done,” he gritted through his teeth. The air around them slowed down as Phoenix released the vortex, sensing the crack in Ben’s resolve. 

“Yes, you can,” she assured. 

“Han…”

“I know, Ben. You’re not beyond repair. I wasn’t. It’s not too late.” Making her way down from the platform, Phoenix stopped in front of Ben, reaching out for his face with a gloved hand. She traced his scar with her fingers. “I’ve seen worse,” she whispered. Ben stiffened at the touch, but Rey felt a softness bloom in the center of his presence. She wanted to interrupt, inform them of the sounds of blasts echoing against the entrance, but couldn’t bring herself to shatter their moment. He was so close…

“The Resistance isn’t finished,” Phoenix whispered, taking his face in both hands, forcing his gaze into hers. She raised her eyebrows. “And you know it’ll piss Hux off if you leave.” At that, corner of Ben’s lips twitched into the galaxy’s smallest smile. 

“Phoenix, I can’t-”

“Ben, in about sixty seconds every Stormtrooper you have in this damn castle is going to burst through that door. Are you coming with us or not?” Rey stood slowly, preparing for another attack, or for Ben to change his mind. She could sense the agonizing pull within him, the struggle to choose his path. Memories of his mother and father, pain from Snoke’s hold on him, fear of going back all flooded her mind as they flooded through Ben’s. 

“Okay,” he replied simply, letting out an anxious exhale, his lips tightening into a thin line. Phoenix lowered her hands, finally nodding to Rey, allowing her back into their conversation. 

“I know you have a private landing pad up here, and while I would love to slaughter a small army of troopers, I think it would be best of we slipped out quietly.” Phoenix deactivated her lightsaber, and both Rey and Ben followed. 

“There’s a command shuttle,” Ben rolled his eyes, jerking his head towards a small corridor at the other end of the room. “Out there.” 

“Lovely. Led the way,” Phoenix nudged him forward, and he broke out into a stride. As they made their way down the corridor towards a small door that exited out of the castle, Rey’s mind reeled as she processed what had happened. What she had failed to do, Phoenix had done with ease. Whatever their past consisted of, it was powerful enough to make Ben realize his mistakes. Rey pressed gently against the Force to feel the tension around them slowly releasing. Ben was still anxious, struggling with the choice he had just made. Phoenix held the same familiar calm confidence, but there was a small bit brightness flashing that wasn’t there before. 

As they emerged from the door to the hot Mustafar air, Rey’s lungs immediately seized with the sudden temperature change. All three of them coughed as they made their way towards the awaiting command shuttle. It was an Upsilon-class ship, and a nice model, Rey noted as she scanned the craft’s detail and shine. A landing pad lowered at their approach, and they ran inside. The ship was just as polished and perfect on the inside, and Rey eyed the control panel with interest. It looked simple enough, and she wasted no time sitting down and starting the engine. 

“Where are we going?” she called back to Phoenix, who was rummaging around in her pack for something. 

“Not entirely sure yet, just get us off this planet first. We need to get a transmission out to check in with how everyone else is doing.” Rey sighed, slightly frustrated by the vague answer. As she continued to work the control panel, she felt Ben’s eyes on her back. 

“Are you going to help?” she snarled, irritated by his apprehension. He jumped slightly at her acknowledgement, then eased himself into the co-pilot chair next to her. 

“Sorry I tried to kill you a few minutes ago,” he muttered. The half-apology made Rey roll her eyes. 

“Let’s just get off this terrible planet.” They both worked seamlessly to punch the correct controls, and the ship began lifting off the platform into the smoke around them. Phoenix finally managed to extract a small communication device from her overstuffed bag, waiting until they were out of the planet’s atmosphere to switch it on. 

“Can anyone hear us?” she half-yelled into the com device. A soft buzzing greeted them in return, crackling as the line opened up. Rey’s heart pounded with anticipation to hear any news of Poe and Finn. Ben hunched over the control panels, still uncomfortable with his new position in their cause. 

“Hello?” a voice echoed softly. 

“Connix?” Rey mouthed to Phoenix. 

“Lieutenant Connix?”

“Yes, YES, who’s there?”

“Connix, it’s me,” Rey cried back. “It’s me and Phoenix and…and Ben Solo.” She saw him cringe at the name, potentially fearing the response of the other Resistance fighters. Connix was silent on the other line. 

“I’ll be damned…you two did it.” 

“Why the tone of surprise?” Phoenix smiled, kicking her feet back to rest on a nearby control pad. “Connix, how’s everyone else doing? We need to know where to go.” 

“You sure I can say this with your current, ah, company?” Rey didn’t think it was possible for Ben to hunch himself over any more in his discomfort. 

“Yep, Ben’s fine. And if he’s not, we’re not afraid of killing him.” Phoenix replied cheerfully. 

“Alright,” Connix began hesitantly. “Well, our whole Resistance force is here, or what’s left of us. Arrived shortly after you two left. We’ve been helping Finn and Stef with their initiative to infiltrate the Stormtrooper coms, and you wouldn’t believe how well it’s gone. Turns out troopers aren’t thrilled with the First Order either. We’ve received an overwhelming number of defective troopers, most of whom are scattered on various planets in hiding until we need to meet up.”

Ben’s back stiffened slightly at the news, his gaze shifting towards them in curiosity. 

“Chewbacca and Jarcol have been exceedingly successful as well. They’ve managed to recruit species from Wookies, Advozsecs from Riflor, Howlwuffs from Alliga, the Cathars, Vurks from Sembla, and even a few Gen’Dai. More species are coming to our side each hour. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Rey’s stomach turned, unable to fully celebrate the good news until she heard anything about Poe. 

“Poe…hasn’t been as successful on Ebrion,” Connix’s voice trailed off as Rey’s heart stopped. “He’s fine, in hiding right now on the planet somewhere. But as soon as he started asking questions, he started being watched and followed. Just barely escaped a squad of troopers who tried to arrest him. Ebrion is in a delicate state right now, so it’s no surprise the First Order has a tight grip on most representatives there already. He’s safe, so no reason to worry right now.” The last bit, Rey knew, Connix has thrown in just for her. 

“The gathering is just a trap,” Ben interjected, startling Rey and Phoenix by his sudden participation. 

“Tell us what you know,” Phoenix leaned forward, her golden eyes narrowing. 

“They’re luring all the galaxy representatives to the same place with the promise of peace,” Ben explained frantically, as if eager to reveal everything he could to earn his place in the Resistance. “Any parties that oppose the First Order will be destroyed. The more they can throw the old Republic into chaos, the easier it will be to control. Hux knows it will be a bloodbath. There will be First Order troops surrounding the gathering and the planet.” Silence filled the ship, and Rey frowned at the new information. The First Order would result to violence no matter what they did. 

“Well, this changes things,” Connix replied. “Ben, I think you could be a huge asset to our cause. At some point during that gathering, Hux is going to address the whole room of representatives. Our sources even say it will be in public, so citizens can witness what’s happening. What better way to undermine his power and authority than if Kylo Ren himself stands up and denounces their cause publically?” Ben’s face was getting pale, but a smile was growing on Phoenix’s. 

“It’s perfect,” she laughed. “If one of their own leaders doesn’t believe in their power, why should anyone else?” Before Ben could object, Connix stepped in again.

“Before you refuse, let me remind you of your current predicament. The two women who dragged you off Mustafar might tolerate you, but there are plenty of Resistance fighters who will want to see you pay for your crimes. Help us, and we’ll grant you political immunity. After this war is over, you’ll be free to go your own way.” Ben hesitated, contemplating Connix’s offer. 

“Fine,” he spat, hunching over and returning to the control panel again. 

“It’s a deal,” Connix affirmed. “I’m sending you the coordinates of where Poe’s hiding. He found a small network of Resistance sympathizers that are housing him temporarily. Be discrete. Be safe.”

“Thanks, Connix,” Phoenix switched off the coms device. “Well, it’s a long ride to Ebrion. Welcome to the Resistance, Ben.”


	8. Chapter 8

From the moment Connix sent them the coordinates, Rey could hardly contain her anticipation and excitement at the thought of seeing Poe again. After they had put the ship on autopilot, Ben had retreated to the corner furthest away in the small shuttle, brooding silently, the Force around him raised like an iron wall. Rey stayed at the control panel, the familiar buttons and switches calming her mind as she nibbled on some of the food Phoenix had packed. Phoenix was sprawled out in the middle of the two, curled up against her backpack on the floor, presumably sleeping.

Just a few days ago, she was sitting near the lake on Takodana wondering how they would find hope amidst all the chaos and loss. And now she was in a shuttle with Kylo Ren, heading towards Ebrion, where their growing army would hopefully destroy the First Order for good. The knot in Rey’s stomach only tightened as they continued towards their destination. They had no reason to trust Ben, other than his apparent connection and loyalty to Phoenix. Rey knew they had achieved their goal, a goal she had settled on against Luke’s advice on Ahch-To. Why did it feel so wrong?

“You don’t believe me,” she heard Ben’s voice; he must have sensed her doubts. Rey sighed, growing tired of having to be defensive of her mind.

“Can you blame me?” she nestled her chin into her hands, her elbows resting on her knees. Looking into his eyes, Rey felt a pause in his anxiety. Guilt, maybe? “What changed your mind?” Ben sighed, looking as though he regretted the confrontation.

“I know you think I’m a monster, and I don’t deny that I am. But you have to know I had a whole life, a childhood, a place in this world that I turned away from when I started confiding in Snoke. When I killed Snoke, I thought I had nothing to go back to. I thought I had destroyed it all. She’s proof that I haven’t, yet…” his voice trailed off as he lowered his gaze to Phoenix, who hadn’t been disturbed by their conversation. “I felt it, when she died,” he murmured quietly. Rey didn’t have to ask to whom he was referring.

“She would've welcomed you back, no matter what...Leia, I mean...” Rey replied softly, cautiously warming to the vulnerability between them. Ben nodded, his eyes focusing on the floor, and then turned to lean his head on the wall, closing their connection.

Rey spent the rest of the journey focusing on her meditation, distancing herself from her feelings. The mixed emotions about Ben, the worry of the upcoming conflict, and the excitement of seeing Poe melted away as she lowered her mind into the calm flow of the Force. Lulled by the hum of the ship, Rey slipped out of consciousness as her exhaustion overtook her.

She wasn’t asleep for long before someone shook her by the shoulder. Phoenix’s hands were small, but they weren’t delicate, and Rey had to steady herself to keep from falling out of the seat.

“We’ll be there soon,” Phoenix announced, unzipping her large sack she had stuffed towards the front of the ship. Ben hadn’t moved from the back corner, and glanced their way, gaze full of suspicion and caution.

“Let’s go over our plan,” she dumped the contents of the sack on the floor: piles of clothes flowed out. “Poe’s coordinates are a residential building, so we’ll need to land in the outskirts of the city and travel the rest by foot. No one can recognize the two of you. I’m not even sure we can trust our hosts, so keep your identities quiet and try to blend in. Got it?”

“Yep,” Rey yawned, stretching her back out. They both glanced back at Ben and he nodded silently. Each of them picked up a cloak, gloves, scarves, and any other garment that could hide their faces. As the shuttle approached Ebrion, Rey glanced towards the cockpit to get a better look. Her jaw dropped; the whole planet seemed to be one gigantic city. It was the polar opposite of Jakku, or really any planet she had been to. Takodana, Quabos, and Mustafar had all been scarcely inhabited. Rey had never see this much industry and machinery in one place.

Their remote landing location turned out to be a dingy transport station that was completely deserted. Lowering the ship onto an empty pad, Rey saw only a few other ships and there were no signs of anyone else. She could see the city skyline towering above them in the distance, the skyscrapers piercing the gray sky.

“Why’s this place so empty?” she asked Phoenix.

“Ah, it’s not the best area,” Phoenix replied, gathering up their packs of food and supplies. “But I’d rather have the ship stolen than have one of us recognized. The less people we see, the better. And it’s the closest transport station to where Poe is.” Ben glared at her implication of his ship being stolen, but readjusted the hood that covered his scar and the scarf that hid most of his face.

As they exited the ship, a chilly air greeted them, and a slight hint of rain in the air. Rey recognized the scent from Ahch-To, but the memory panged her heart. What would Luke think about all this?

Making their way off the landing pad, they strode through the abandoned and parked ships. Theirs stuck out so much it was almost laughable, the sleek wings of the shuttle jutting meters above any other vessel.

“Hey!” they heard someone cry behind them. Turning and preparing to grab the blaster she had in her holster, Rey saw it was a short, hairy biped creature, puffing after them. He had goggles plastered to the top of his head, and was clothed in a maintenance jumper. “You have to pay to keep that thing here!” The creature approached, and Rey could see Phoenix’s eyes crease into a smile. She lowered the scarf covering her mouth.

“No, we don’t,” she smiled sweetly, flashing her teeth. “We’re going to park it here for free. And you’re going to forget you ever saw us.”

“Of course, for free,” the creature’s beady eyes went blank. “And I’m going to forget I ever saw you.” Phoenix patted his head gingerly, signaling that he was free to go. Bumping into a few ships on the way, the creature made his way back to his small station.

“I haven’t gotten to do that in forever,” she said, lifting the scarf back up. “There should be a train stop somewhere nearby. I’d prefer to take that instead of walking.” A few minutes later, they heard the rumble of a nearby shuttle passing by, as they made their way through the abandoned crumbling buildings. Concrete rubble littered the sidewalk, and everywhere Rey turned gray emptiness, broken windows, and lonely buildings surrounded them. Turning a corner, she saw the tracks that lead towards the nearby city, creating a clear line through the decaying nothingness. As Phoenix has predicted, they followed the tracks to find a train station a short walk away. They climbed up the platform- the stairs had almost disintegrated- to find only a few other humans waiting for a train, who all looked as gray and sad as their surroundings. Rey made sure her face was still mostly covered, as they waited in the sharp wind for the next transport.

The train came eventually, though Rey felt as if it was ages. Despite her many layers, the wind was biting her skin and starting to make her shiver. The train itself was a technological wonder compared to their current environment, its sleek exterior and windows reflecting the cloudy skies above them. As the doors opened, warm air poured out of the train. All three shuffled inside quickly, assessing the interior. Like the exterior, it was polished immaculately and had rows of chairs, most of which were unoccupied. Glancing around at the other passengers, Rey decided that none of them seemed to be a threat. All were heavily bundled, either looking out the window, staring at the ground, or sleeping in their seats. None seemed to notice their presence.

Lurching towards the city, the train began rumbling down the tracks at an astounding speed. Rey tried to take in what she could from the windows, but everything flew by them so quickly she barely had time to pick out the details of the new planet. She did recognize that as they got closer to the city, the more populous and clean everything became. By the time they reached the next stop, the doors opened to a street lined with higher, newer structures and bustling with people. Phoenix’s elbow knocked into her ribs, signaling that this was their stop.

Rey followed Phoenix out of the train and down the platform towards the crowded streets, Ben following closely. She could feel his discomfort, and was feeling it herself. It felt like she was being choked by people, and without Phoenix’s bright red hair to follow, she was worried about getting lost amidst the other black cloaks in the bustle. Keeping her eyes firmly on the back of Phoenix’s head, she followed blindly through the pedestrians, trying not to get distracted by the foreign houses, shops, buildings, and flashing signs.

After pushing through what felt like hundreds of people, Phoenix grabbed Rey’s arm and yanked her down a side street, Ben behind them. Though it was slightly less crowded, the new street was smaller and felt even more claustrophobic. It was darker too, so Rey gripped Phoenix’s arm to make sure they weren’t separated. Eventually, as they plummeted deeper into the city, the people began to thin out. Pulling them over to the front of a closed clothing shop, Phoenix turned back to them and nodded. This was their destination.

She knocked softly on the door at first, and when no one answered, pounded as hard as she could without drawing attention. After a few moments, someone slid a metal looking hole open, only revealing a pair of angry blue eyes.

“We’re closed, can’t you read?” a wheezy voice demanded.

“Oh, yes, we can,” Phoenix replied cheerfully, her eyes dashed up and down the street before leaning closer towards the door. “I believe you have a friend of ours.” Whoever was on the other side swore under their breath.

“Coming here in broad day,” Rey heard the numerous bolts behind the door move as their host continued to mumble curses. After the last lock clicked, the door creaked open. “Get in, before anyone else sees you.” They all slipped in through the narrow opening to find themselves surrounded by mannequins, all covered in gleaming gowns and fine apparel. The room was dimly lit, but Rey was enchanted by the glistening details of gems, lace and silk. On occasion, someone had traded in fine garments on Jakku, but they were coated with dust upon exposure to the air. She had never seen anything like it.

Finally facing the owner of the rusty accent, Rey saw that it was an older woman of short build, her graying hair tied tightly into a bun atop her head. She was going over each lock on the door, ensuring they were all secure.

“Who-” Rey started to ask, only to be silenced as the woman shoved a finger to her lips, demanding silence. Glancing at each lock once more, she gestured for them to follow her further into the shop. Passing through the rows of racks and displays, they passed behind an attendant counter and found a door leading to a dark, lengthy stairwell. Once they were all inside, she heard the woman breathe an irritated sigh.

“Sorry about the welcome, I wasn’t expecting you all until nightfall,” she explained, turning on the light switch to ignite the concrete stairs. “Name’s Ami, this is my shop. Or was, until it turned into some sort of Resistance base. Had to shut down just yesterday, and it’s a shame, too. With that First Order gathering coming up, business would’ve been booming” She teetered down the stairs slowly, leading them past two different floors of supply and production spaces. “My mother served Queen Amidala in the height of her rule, made all her gowns. That’s how I got wrapped into all this. Knew who Leia was and offered any help I could years ago. But I suppose a dressmaker isn’t very useful for a rebellion, until recently that is.”

Rey felt Ben’s unease at the mention of his mother, along with a strange twinge of curiosity at whatever queen Ami had mentioned. Rey was afraid to ask, considering Ami’s blatant disapproval of their presence. Reaching the lowest level of the building, Ami stopped to unlock another door. It swung open to a massive warehouse lined with hundreds of rows of ornate fabric, reels of thread as tall as Rey was, and cabinets filled with supplies. From behind one of the distant rows of shelves, Rey heard something fall with a loud thud.

“You can come out now, your friends are here. Not that you were doing a great job at hiding anyways,” Ami bellowed, her voice echoing off the vast concreate ceilings. Slowly, Rey saw Poe’s head pop out from behind a bundle of blue silk.

It took everything in her to hold herself back, to keep herself from running into his arms. Poe approached them slowly, question in his eyes. Remembering that her face was almost completely hidden, Rey’s hands rushed to strip off the scarf and cloak, relishing the relief in Poe’s eyes and the joy in his smile as he quickened into a jog, his arms outstretched. Before Rey could say a word, Poe was lifting her off the ground, his arms surrounding her. Releasing an involuntary laugh, Rey felt light bursting from her chest, their joined happiness filling the Force around them with warmth.

“You’re okay,” he sighed, his breath soft against her neck. Poe’s grip around her waist slackened as he released her, much to Rey’s disappointment. Letting go as slowly as she dared, she smiled as she eagerly absorbed all the details of him she had missed so much: the wrinkle lines next to his eyes that creased when he smiled, the way his deep brown eyes looked into hers, how his dark hair fell across his forehead. As Poe’s eyes traced across her face, Rey saw them dart to the others in the room, suddenly remembering they had an audience. His hands dropped to his side as he turned to Phoenix, who was removing her layers of clothes, and Ben, who remained covered and silent.

“Phoenix,” Poe nodded in greeting. When gaze finally fell on Ben, he took a small step backward defensively. “I assume you two were successful then?”

“Sure were,” Phoenix piped in, nudging Ben with her elbow, who was slowly peeling off his outer layers. He glared at Poe, evidently uncomfortable by his presence. Poe returned the icy stare.

“Last time we met it was under…less than ideal circumstances,” Poe extended a hand. “But if Rey trusts that you’re a changed man, that’s good enough for me.” Rey could feel Ben’s irritation and pride swelling, but he reached for Poe’s hand and shook it stiffly.

“Now that we’re all friends again,” Phoenix interrupted, shaking her tangled curls out with her fingers. “I’m starving. What’s our situation down here?”

“Ami is a very generous host, we want for nothing down here,” Poe flashed a grin at the petit, disgruntled woman, her arms crossed. Scowling, she teetered past them and made her way through the rows of supplies. As they followed, Rey realized that the warehouse was an ideal hiding place; it was easy to get lost amidst the vast cabinets and shelves of fabric and materials. Turning a corner down the aisle Poe had appeared out of, their party stumbled upon an open trapdoor underneath an enormous pile of various fur coats.

“It’s not much,” Ami grumbled and jerked her head towards the opening, “but there are a few bed palettes and no shortage of blankets. Washing station, a supply of unperishable items. I’ve kept it around for years just in case. I spoke with Connix this morning. The Ebrion Gathering is tomorrow. Tonight, you’re staying here. And I mean here, in this bunker. If we get any unexpected visitors, I’ll warn you. But it’s safest if your presence is undetectable. Been hearing a few stories about First Order troops doing overnight raids in case of any Resistance sympathizers. Welcome to your home for the night.” Ami thrust out a thin, boney arm, ushering them into the small opening. Poe entered first, and Rey followed.

As far as living situations went, Rey had seen worse. Like their quarters on Quabos, the bunker was absent of natural light, but it was spacious. Low ceilings topped a vast corridor littered with giant heaps of forgotten garments, which were taller than Ben and helped form an illusion of privacy for the few bed palettes scattered around the room. Rey could see the light of a washer room at the far end, and an old wooden cabinet against the side wall filled to the brim with cans of food and water. Inhaling, Rey coughed as the dusty air filled her throat.

“You get used to it,” Poe whispered as Phoenix and Ben lowered themselves into the room, surveying their new surroundings.

“I’ll come for you four in the morning,” Ami shouted down to them, her icy eyes peering down into the bunker before she abruptly shut the door above them. Rey’s eyes had a difficult time adjusting to the sparse lighting in the room, and a fresh cloud of dust rained down on them from Ami’s departure. All of them broke out into coughs as they navigated their way through the mountains of clothes.

“It’s not much, but it’s pretty damn safe,” Poe explained as he dusted some of the debris off his shoulders. “I’m set up in alcove behind that pile topped with the yellow feathers. Other than that, the place is open.” Rey turned to explore more thoroughly, fascinated with the deposits of old garments. She smiled to herself, thinking about scavenging through everything around her. She caught Ben’s eye momentarily before he disappeared behind a mountain of dresses, his boots clattering as he made his way towards the furthest open alcove.

“Wonder how long it’ll take him to remember how much he used to love socializing,” Phoenix grinned. “I’m getting food and showering all of this dust and sweat out of my hair.” She turned on her heels, leaving Rey and Poe alone. Watching her got, Rey felt her stomach turn. As much as she longed to see Poe the past few days, she felt nervous as she gazed into his eyes. She could sense his hope at their arrival and his excitement of being with her. He closed the space between them, enclosing her hands in his own, a small smile across his face.

“I don’t know how you did it, but I’m glad you’re okay,” he breathed as one of his hands brushed a strand of her hair away from her forehead. Rey’s heart felt like it was going to explode out of her chest.

“I promised, didn’t I?” Rey’s lips stretched into a smile as Poe guided her head to his chest and wrapped his arms around her again. Was this what feeling safe and loved felt like? She couldn’t remember much of her parents, wasn’t sure if she had ever felt this way before, but knew she could stay embracing Poe for hours and stay perfectly content.

“Poe,” she hesitantly broke their silence, “what happened?” His arms fell slightly, taking her hands and leading them both to sit on a small pile of fur coats.

“The First Order has everyone on Ebrion panicking,” he sighed, apparently still dismayed by his failed attempt to find allies. “Luckily Stormtroopers aren’t particularly stealthy, so it was pretty obvious that I was being followed. I don’t think any representatives from Naboo were arrested; the plan was to claim that I had deceived them and that they were innocent. I hope it worked. They were good people and loyal to Leia and our cause. But until the Resistance proves that it’s still got a chance, people won’t want to risk fighting.”

“Did you hear about Chewie and Finn?” Rey bit her lip nervously as Poe’s fingertips traced the lines in her hand. His face lit up at the sound of their friends’ success.

“Yeah, crazy, right? I knew the First Order had to be making enemies somewhere in the galaxy, but who knew there were that many of them? Ami says they’re all gathering on Vacriea, a nearby moon, until the gathering happens. Hopefully we can catch them off guard. And hopefully Finn’s head isn’t too big from being so famous.”

Rey grinned, studying the scars, burns, and callouses on Poe’s hands. “I wish Leia was here to see this. Feels strange to do all this without her.”

“I know,” Poe’s voice was filled with sadness. Rey had only known Leia for a short time; Poe had been by her side for years. She knew her death weighed more heavily on his shoulders. “For a while, I thought the whole Resistance was in our hands, and the thought was terrifying. But we’re not alone. Phoenix and all those people on Quabos, everyone Finn and Chewie have recruited, and hell, even Kylo Ren, they’re all with us. By the way, do we trust him? Ben, I mean?”

“I think we do,” Rey paused. “I know that’s asking a lot, especially considering what he did to you and what he’s done in the past. But I felt good in him a long time ago, I knew it was still there. Phoenix finally helped break whatever hold Snoke had on him. After this whole thing is over, if we survive, I hope he can have a life he wants. Not a life someone else is forcing on him.” Rey lifted her eyes up from memorizing Poe’s hands to find him staring at her, his head tilted slightly, with a look she didn’t recognize.

“What?”

“Rey,” Poe laughed softly. “I’ve never met anyone like you. After everything you’ve been through, and you still believe the best in others. You can lift boulders with your mind, you can convince Sith Lords to reconsider their life choices, and you can pilot the hell out of any ship in the galaxy. I’m perplexed, intimidated, and amazed by you all at the same time. How is that even possible?”

Rey felt her cheeks turn to fire and her breath grow short as Poe leaned in closer to her. She absorbed the details of his face eagerly as her hands slid up to touch his chest; the depth of his eyes, the stubble across his jawline, the crook of his nose. The Force around her combusted as his lips touched hers softly, her whole universe engulfed in the happiness of their kiss. She felt one of Poe’s hands cradle the back of her head as the other pulled her closer at the small of her back. Pushing her lips up against his, Rey’s consciousness seemed to melt away in the brightness of the Force. For a moment, nothing existed except for the two of them.

Poe’s lips left hers as his hands traveled up to catch the sides of her face, holding her gaze. Rey wanted more, wanted him, her hands clutching the linen tunic over his chest.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” Poe whispered, his eyes pouring the same wanting into hers. “But I’m going to promise, again, to make it out alive. Because my life hasn’t been the same ever since I met you, and I want to keep living it.”

“I promise the same,” Rey breathed back. She shifted back slightly, releasing her grip on his shirt and taking his hands. “It can’t be worse than Crait, can it?”

“No,” Poe laughed, “you’re right. We’ve faced worse.” He paused, as if he was going to say more, but seemed to think better of it. “It’s going to be a long day tomorrow. Let’s see what’s left of the canned food selection.”

Rey was content to stay and never leave Ami’s basement, but Poe was right. After navigating their way through the maze of clothing, picking the best food options out of the closet, and scarfing down what she could with a metal spoon, Rey finally realized how exhausted she was. Poe embraced her once more, pressing his lips against her hairline before whispering goodnight, and Rey made her way into the shower. Locking the door behind her, Rey relished every drop of the scalding hot water. Her old life on Jakku was still reflected in her appreciation for simple pleasures; the steam filling the white tiled room opened her lungs and mind. She could sense Poe buzzing with excitement, Ben brooding in the back corner surrounded by uncertainty, and Phoenix waiting impatiently outside the washroom door. Either she wanted the shower, or something else.

Shutting off the water, Rey reached for a towel, which was a cut piece of old cotton fabric, and dried herself. Fortunately, she saw, Ami had supplied simple brown tunics and pants for them to change into. Rey sighed, relieved that she wouldn’t have to attempt to sleep in the restricting fire trooper jumpsuit she had arrived in.

As soon as she exited the washroom, Rey came across Phoenix, who was slumped lazily on the ground next to the door. Her hand raised, she was using the Force to float various garments in a ghostly dance. Dresses, overcoats, and embroidered tunics dropped when she noticed Rey’s attention.

“Sorry, there’s not much to do down here,” she grinned. “So, did you and Poe have a productive reunion?”

“Not sure what you’re talking about,” Rey’s face flushed as she shook some of the water out of her hair.

“Yeah, sure,” Phoenix winked back at her. Rey couldn’t help but smile.

“Poe is a good thing in my life. I don’t have many of them. I’m glad he’s okay.”

“Ah, that I understand.” Standing up, Phoenix faced Rey with a sincerity in her eye that Rey hadn’t seen before. “Rey, I want to ask you something. Or at least give you something to think about.”

“Sure, what is it?”

“If we survive all this – which isn’t very likely – I want to go back to Quabos. It’s the only place that ever remotely felt like home, and I don’t think I’ll have a place in whatever new system they build if the Resistance wins. There’s a group of misfits and rejects that have found sanctuary under my roof. I owe it to them to make sure they find their paths. On top of all that, there’s a handful of Force-sensitive people who need someone to teach them their place in all this. I want to help them, and I want you to help me. Think about coming back with me and being a teacher. I think we’re past the whole “Master” and “Padawan” formalities. I don’t want to do it like Luke or the others did it. This galaxy needs something new...” Phoenix’s voice trailed off, awaiting Rey’s response.

Rey paused, realizing her lack of a plan for whenever this was over. The Resistance would turn into something larger, and what would a scavenger have to contribute to intergalactic politics? Going back to Jakku was never an option. Phoenix’s offer was most likely the best she’d get. She liked Quabos, and she could help others. Remembering how lost she felt when she showed up on Ahch-To begging for Luke’s help, Rey knew her decision was already made.

“I don’t want to promise anything…but right now that doesn’t sound so bad.” Phoenix smiled at her response. “What’ll happen to Ben?”

“I’m extending the same offer to him. I doubt he’ll be happy about it, but he doesn’t exactly have much of a choice. Even if Connix absolves him of all crimes, I doubt anyone will love the idea of Kylo Ren freely roaming the galaxy.”

“He wouldn’t be a very patient teacher, would he?” Rey smirked, knowing that Ben had understood her at her most vulnerable. If he could access that once, he could help other students.

“We’ll work on him. Snoke didn’t prey on Ben just for his ancestry…Ben was the most talented Jedi in our cluster. He has a lot to pass on.” Phoenix glanced over in the direction Ben had hidden. Rey could sense his ears pricking, sensing that they were discussing him. “I’m going to head to bed. I get the sense that Ami’s an early riser.”

Nodding, Rey made her way past Phoenix and through the forest of old garments to find a small unoccupied palette huddled in the middle of a cave made out of various mechanical jumpsuits. She curled up on the bed, which was surprisingly soft, and pulled the pile of furs that lay on top over her. Surrounded by warmth and the comfort of knowing Poe was safe and sleeping nearby, Rey dove into a deep sleep in a matter of seconds.


	9. Chapter 9

“I’ve never seen anything like it…it’s like she’s dead.”

“Well, she’s not,” Rey heard Poe’s voice in the distance, and desperate to see him, forced her heavy eyelids to flutter open. When they did, she awoke to find Ami’s piercing eyes staring at her with a mixture of awe and annoyance. Poe was standing behind her, suppressing a laugh. 

“You sleep like dead person. I’ve been shaking you and yelling at you for the past five minutes. Incredible.” Ami’s wrinkled hands gave her shoulders a final shake before rising. “Get up. You four need a lot of work and we don’t have a lot of time.” 

Rey groaned, unwilling to leave the cocoon of furs that had provided such a wonderful night’s sleep. She heard Poe’s laugh again. 

“You truly do have a gift.”

“I can’t help it,” Rey mumbled from beneath the covers. “What work do we have to do this morning?”

“Ah, well, seeing as all of us are either well-known fugitives, war criminals, or retired Sith lords, we can’t just go waltzing into the gathering without disguise. That’s where Ami comes in. You should see Phoenix and Ben.” Rey’s interest was peaked, which was enough to convince her to crawl out of hiding. Cracking her back as she followed Poe through the maze, they made their way up the stairs, out of the bunker, and into the warehouse where they had reunited the day before. Poe lead her further into the depths of the room, towards a corner lit by an electric glow of white. Rey could hear a string of curses rising from their destination. Rey did her best to stifle her amusement at the scene. 

Ami was frantically darting around the aisle, circling Ben as if he was her dinner. Ben towered over her, his lips pressed into the thinnest line imaginable as she pinned various fabric swatches to his black tunic, muttering about his height. 

“We need something that will cover your face, there won’t be a Stormtrooper on the planet who won’t recognize you,” Ami grumbled as her nimble fingers flicked through a nearby rack of clothes. “I just don’t have any garments or uniforms from Naboo that will do the trick.”

“Can’t you just make something up?” Ben gritted, his fists tightening in irritation. 

“Young man, this needs to be convincing. You’d be surprised at how many people notice details. The wrong boots could mean someone singles you out as an imposter. Ah!” Ami cried in victory, pulling a red lined suit and helmet from the depths of lower shelf. “An old Royal Security Forces uniform. A little dated, but no one will notice the difference except our friends from Naboo. Once you’ve put this on, this one will help you cover the remains of that scar on your face.” Ami’s nod to the back corner finally pulled Rey’s attention towards Phoenix, who she hardly recognized. 

Her wild hair had been slicked back and tucked into a simple red headdress topped with a delicate gold headpiece, but the rest of her garment was anything but plain. From head to toe, the dress was a fiery red, embellished with tiny rubies and coated with dark crimson embroidery, curving to her body perfectly. The headdress and high collar covered her scars completely, and Ami had painted her face subtly to enhance the angles of her cheekbones and the brightness of her eyes. Despite her elegant appearance, Phoenix was slumped over in the corner fiddling with her sleeves. It was hard to tell if she or Ben looked more uncomfortable. 

“You’re next,” Ami commanded Poe, and he stepped forward willingly. Rey shuffled over to Phoenix, who glanced up at her miserably. 

“Where the hell am I supposed to put my weapons?” she sighed, her brow furrowed in frustration. 

“Security Forces won’t work for you since we’ve already tried that, so go back to the washroom and give yourself a decent shave. No, the best possible shave you can,” Ami barked after sizing Poe up and down a few times. She pulled a tunic, pants, and a deep green velvet overcoat from various racks and shelves with alarming speed. “These are for you when you’re done. Now, you.” Rey’s eyes widened as she realized Ami was referring to her. 

“You’re going to be fun. No one will recognize a scavenger girl from Jakku, especially after I’m done with you.” Pulling Rey by her arm, Ami pushed her in front of a lengthy mirror and began excavating through the excess of clothing. Rey yelled in alarm as a small circular service droid whirled through the air and started pulling on her slept-in hair. Another droid circled around her, wrapping her in a measuring tape. 

“You’re a little tall too, though thankfully not as much as your giant friend,” Ami exclaimed, jutting her finger in the direction of the aisle where Ben was changing. Holding in a gasp of pain, Rey attempted to stand still as the droid proceeded to comb and tame her hair. Using some sort of heating tool, it beeped as it pulled, smoothed, and flattened her brown mop. When it seemed pleased with her hair, other small hands emerged from the droid covered in powders and paints, which it began rapidly applying to her face. Rey winced in discomfort as Ami continued to rifle through the aisle of garments. She heard Phoenix let out a small cackle, but feared to open her eyes and ruin the droid’s work. 

Finally, paintbrushes stopped falling onto her face and Rey dared to open her eyes. Glancing into the mirror, her jaw almost dropped at the sight of herself. Her hair, typically lifeless and plain, shone like polished brass into a soft wave. She tilted her face to different angles, noticing her cheekbones had a slightly unnatural flush to them, her eyelashes were much darker, and her lips had new color. It looked strange, like a face that belonged to someone else, and not an orphan from a desert planet. 

“I don’t think I’d even recognize myself,” Rey breathed, almost involuntarily. 

“That’s the whole point,” Ami huffed, heaving a sapphire blue garment into Rey’s arms. “Let’s get you into this.” The droids buzzed through the air, draping a dark curtain around the two of them for privacy. Ami removed Rey’s tunic with unexpected delicacy, handing her new underclothes and a small black garter. 

“What’s this for?” Rey questioned. 

“Despite what that other one thinks, there’s always room for weapons.” As soon as Ami said it, Rey realized the garter had slots for blades, blasters, and lightsabers. She slipped it on until it sat high above her knee. Ami motioned for her to lift her arms, and the folds of the blue dress enveloped her. Emerging and slightly gasping for breath, Rey stood still as Ami pinned, zipped, tightened, and knotted until she seemed pleased with how it looked. The droids dropped the draped fabric, revealing Rey’s reflection. The neckline of the dress sat high on her collarbone, and aside from the tight bodice, the rest of the gown flowed like water towards the ground. Her arms and back were all exposed and Rey caught herself blushing at how much of her own skin she was seeing. She caught Phoenix grinning at her, eyeing Ami’s work. 

“You’d fool General Hux himself, Rey.” Phoenix smiled, standing up and showcasing the full effect of her crimson ensemble. She was right; both of them were absolutely unrecognizable. 

From the corner of her eye, Rey saw Ben shuffling back into the room, his eyes focused on the ground. The Naboo Security uniform just barely fit him, and she could feel his unease. Phoenix floated over to him and proceeded to adjust his helmet. 

“Let’s cover up that scar,” Phoenix said brightly, leading him towards one of the service droids. Rey was uncertain, but she could’ve sworn she saw Ben’s face flush as Phoenix’s hand touched his arm. 

“Rey?” She turned to find Poe, freshly shaven and in the deep green tunic, his mouth ajar. She immediately felt heat rush to her face as he took her by the hand and gently spun her around. “You look fantastic! I mean you always do…this is just a different kind. Ami, you’ve outdone yourself!”

“I know,” the old woman replied, surveying all four of them, the wrinkles on her face creasing in a faint show of pride. Rey’s face flushed as she felt Poe’s eyes latch onto her, and she couldn’t help but notice how chiseled his face looked after shaving. The waves of his dark hair were tamed, and something about his figure looked taller and more formidable in clothes that weren’t covered in dust. 

“How are we getting there?” Ben called as the service droid traced the faint scar across his face with skin-colored paint. It was strange, Rey thought, to think that she had given that scar to him not too long ago. And here they were, playing dress-up together in some old woman’s basement. The insanity of the situation made her lips twitch into a small smile. 

“The city will be in chaos today,” Ami crossed her arms, “But if you’re seen separated from the other group of Naboo representatives, it might cause suspicion. There’s multiple ways out of this warehouse.” Snapping her fingers, she sent the service droids flying overhead, and they returned within moments with a heavy wooden box. As they swooped down to lower it, Rey realized it contained all of their weapons: her lightsaber, Ben’s, and Phoenix’s, along with a menagerie of blasters, knives, and thermal detonators. Phoenix looked inside ravenously, grabbing what she could. Rey picked up her blade and a spare blaster, noticing that Ben looked disinterested in anything but his saber. 

“You need a blaster,” Ami barked.

“No, I don’t,” he replied curtly. 

“Not for using,” she rolled her eyes. “What kind of security officer doesn’t keep a blaster on his belt?” Ben glared at her and shoved one of the guns in his holster. 

“If everyone is armed, we should go.” Leaving them to follow her lead, Ami turned on her tiny heels and marched their party down the vast rows of aisles until they reached a dead-end wall. In an unlit corner, a narrow elevator door sat hidden behind massive racks of forgotten clothing. With Ben and Poe’s help, Ami pulled the racks aside to reach the door, pushing the only button available on the control pad. The door creaked open to a small chamber barely large enough to fit all of them. Slightly uncomfortable with the forced human contact, Rey stiffened her back and held her breath as if to make herself smaller. The elevator rumbled as the door closed, slowly raising them upward. After a few minutes, the door opened to reveal a long, dark hallway. It was unlit, and Rey strained to see anything ahead of them. With another snap of her finger, Ami signaled for a scarce string of tiny lightbulbs to illuminate. Even with the additional light, Rey couldn’t see the end. 

“This will eventually dump us out into a service corridor of an apartment complex that used to hold royalty,” Ami wheezed as she teetered down the metal floors. “It’s currently housing visiting parties from other planets. Conveniently, it’s attached to the old colosseum they’re using for the gathering. The structure has quite a bloody past, so it’s no wonder the First Order wanted to use it…” her voice trailed off as she began to cough uncontrollably. After what seemed like ages, they finally stopped at a sealed metal door with no control panel. Rey was faintly reminded of their similar arrival on Quabos. 

“Someone will knock three times shortly. Knock back three times. This is where I leave you. Best of luck to you all.” Without waiting for a reply, Ami turned back and coughed her way back until she was out of sight. 

A silence of anticipation fell on their party, none of them willing to break it. Rey reached for the Force gently, sensing Ben’s defenses going up as she did. Phoenix’s mind was open, but was mostly focused on the discomfort of her garment, despite how stunning she looked. Rey didn’t want to probe Poe’s feelings…she felt like it was an invasion of privacy. She hated when Ben forced his way into her thoughts, and she promised herself she wouldn’t do that to Poe. All she could sense was his hope despite his anticipation…though she was curious as to how he felt about her in that blue dress-

Rey’s thoughts were interrupted as three brisk knocks rang against the door. Poe immediately rapped three back, and the door inched open. On the other side, two men dressed identically to Ben were waiting for them. 

“Come with us, quickly,” one of them whispered in a heavily accented voice. As their party exited the corridor, they entered into a brightly lit, sleek hallway. Every surface was perfectly polished, and more importantly, was unoccupied. 

“Fall in behind us except for you,” the man whispered again, nodding towards Ben. “You’re with us. Try to blend in until we join the others.” Taking their orders, Rey, Poe, and Phoenix filed behind Ben and the other two guards, walking at a leisurely pace down the shimmering metal hall. Large circular windows began to appear, revealing the mass expanse of the city below. Rey tried to catch glimpses of how high up they were, how small and intricate everything else seemed. The sky that was bleak yesterday was bright and cloudless today; hopefully it was a good sign. 

Emerging into a small room dotted with plush chairs and cushions, they came across a group of men and women dressed similarly, with a few more Naboo Security Force guards. A woman dressed in an ornately decorated violet gown extracted herself from the group and made her way towards them. Her face was painted a stark white with tiny red dots painted on her cheeks. Her beauty aside, Rey had never seen someone so decorated and striking. 

“I am Queen Syddan Soruna. Ami took longer than expected, though I will say she was thorough. I would never peg you as fugitives.” Her slanted brown eyes surveyed their appearance, stopping at Poe. “Poe Dameron. I’m glad to see you’re well. And I’ll have to assume you’re our guest of honor.” Rey saw Phoenix smirk at Syddan’s method of greeting Ben, who simply tightened his lips in response. 

“I strongly believe your presence will have the desired effect. I understand that Hux plans to address the representatives and the public and offer an ultimatum for submission to the First Order. That would be an ideal time for an interruption.” Gracefully swirling back towards the group of representatives, Syddan led their party towards their destination without another word. The group kept pace down another hallway, where Rey noticed that out the window she could see an enormous circular structure ahead. From what she could see, it looked like a cracked egg made out of stone. The top was crumbled and in decay, but the rest was ornately crafted, patched with metal and modern technology in irregular spaces. The denseness of the city had vanished, and instead they were surrounded by a vast field of dead grass, which from a distance looked like a dense brown sea that never ended. On one side of the structure, a large crowd of locals gathered in front of an oversized monitor attached to one of the sealed entrances. Rey hoped that if a battle ensued, they would be smart enough to scatter and hide in the city. 

Attempting her best to look like she belonged, Rey felt her hands starting to shake slightly. Similarly, she felt the nerves of each person in their party spike as they made their way closer to the colosseum. Ben in particular, she felt, was uneasy about their upcoming conflict. Besides Poe on her right, Ben was the closest person to her. Though the halls were starting to fill with other attendants, she thought now was her last chance to get a word in without drawing attention. 

“Ben,” she whispered through the corner of her mouth. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he answered after a short pause. 

“Do you know at all what you’re going to say? What you’re going to do?” Ben’s secrecy and their lack of plan put a slight edge in her tone. 

“Rey,” he paused again, waiting for a group to pass them. “I haven’t given you any reason to do so, but just trust me.” 

As they rounded a corner, they emptied into another corridor packed with humans, bipeds, and creatures Rey had never seen, all moving the same direction. She couldn’t address Ben’s response; she could barely keep up with Syddan’s group. The crowded corridor was worse than the streets they had navigated the day before, and here her senses were overwhelmed by color, ornate headwear, and languages rambling around them. Rey took a few deep breaths, immersing herself into the calm ebb and flow of the Force. 

The river of representatives poured into the colosseum, and Rey let out a small gasp at how enormous it was. The rounded cylinder was stacked with at least thirty of forty stories of seating booths, each presumably used to hold representatives from each planet. Following the Naboo party up a lengthy flight of stairs, Rey saw the sunlight that trickled in from the exposed top of the structure. The multitude of people from various systems and planets, the glow and shimmer of golden garments from the sun...the sight was oddly lovely. Rey wished she was seeing it under better circumstances. 

After climbing enough stairs to make her calves burn in agony, they finally reached a vacant pod. The more important representatives seated themselves towards the balcony while the rest of them were left to stand behind, which Rey preferred. She was too on-edge to sit without fidgeting. Amidst the bustle of the room filling quickly with representatives and noise, one of the security guards leaned towards them. 

“Just received word from a Lieutenant Connix that our friends are in position. All of them,” he whispered with a small smile. Poe nodded, and Rey let out a sigh of relief. That meant Finn and Chewie were okay. She felt a hand grip hers and squeeze slightly. Poe reassured what she felt: they might be able to pull it off. 

Eventually, all of the pods were filled and the room clamored with conversations and voices. The Force was pulsing like Rey had never felt before. Possibly because she had never been around this many people in her life. Whether they supported the First Order or not, she could sense that underneath all of the fine clothes and titles, fear filled the room. 

A loud echo filled the entire colosseum, drawing Rey’s attention to a larger pod across the cavern. There, a man with flaming red hair dressed in all black came forward towards the very edge of their balcony where a large, outdated microphone device was placed. Each booth was similarly equipped for discussion and conversation, but Rey doubted the First Order planned to allow that. Poe leaned over and whispered in her ear to inform her that the red-haired man was General Hux. 

“Welcome friends,” his voiced boomed above all the other noise, causing an immediate silence to fall over the crowd. “To the new world we will build together.” He paused, letting his words wash over them. Instead of camaraderie or hope, Rey felt dread and panic.

“We are pleased to announce that we have wiped out what small part was left of the treacherous and murderous Resistance. There is no higher priority to the First Order than the peace and prosperity of this galaxy. And we gather here today so that you, the highly-esteemed representatives from each system, can help us forge this new path together. 

“Those of you who are willing to work with us will be welcomed with open arms. I can assure you, we treat our allies with the upmost respect and loyalty. However, those of you who refuse to cooperate will find that you have no place in this new world. That being said, we value your opinions and input, which is why we organized this great gathering. We ask that you now bring forth any concerns or matters of interest before us today so that we may solve them together. The floor is yours.” 

The silence that filled the room during Hux’s address had twisted into dread and suspicion. Though his words were diplomatic, Rey could smell the threat that loomed over anyone who dared oppose him. 

“It’s now or never Ben,” Poe whispered. Rey turned to face the tall man beside her, whose face had gone white. 

“They took everything from you,” Phoenix wrapped her hand around Ben’s. “Now’s your chance to fight back.” Ben nodded towards her, and then turned to Rey. Was he waiting for her encouragement? Approval? 

“She’s right,” Rey murmured, strengthening her own resolve as well. “Ben, you can do this.” 

Their words seemed to be enough to push him over the edge. Rey sensed Ben push himself deep into the Force for strength as he walked past the seated representatives and towards the microphone.


	10. Chapter 10

“Thank you, General Hux, for those inspiring words,” Ben’s voice rang through the walls. Even from a distance, Rey saw Hux’s pale face grow paler at the sight of Ben, who removed the Security Forces hat to better expose himself. Seeing that their plan had caught the First Order off guard gave Rey hope that the rest of it could work as well. 

“Many of you wouldn’t know me from my face alone, or my real name. My name is Ben Solo, but the galaxy knows me as Kylo Ren,” he paused as the crowd erupted into shock. Without warning, Ben flicked his wrist, pulled out his blade, and ignited his saber. Screams of panic and shouts of rage echoed at the sight of the weapon, but Ben’s voice was louder. 

“I’m not here today for the First Order,” Ben was shaking in rage. “They took everything from me. They lied to me, manipulated me, and used me as a tool for their own destructive ends. The future they have for you is anything but peaceful. And you were too foolish to see it or stop it. Even now, they have troops standing by to take out anyone who opposes their new regime. You’re all headed towards your own demise, unless you fight back.” As he let his words settle, the crowd burst into an onslaught of accusations and outrage. Hux paused, letting the noise die down before responding. 

“This traitor scum is lying to you,” Hux began, controlled, but on edge with anger. “Our friends have nothing to fear. But as for our enemies, the First Order’s power extends beyond what any of you could imagine.” This time, the threat was less subtle. The sound of hundreds of blasters clicking off their safety switches rang, as Stormtroopers appeared out of every crevice of the room. From the topmost ledges of the ceiling, four red blades flickered around them. The rest of the Knights of Ren were there. Rey felt an elbow nudge her harshly in the ribs as Phoenix urged her to ready her weapons. 

“The Resistance is DEAD,” Hux screamed, but before he could utter another threat, the sound of engines overhead filled the colosseum. Fearing more First Order troops, Rey was elated to see unmarked, dingy ships flying overhead, dropping impossibly long ropes down to release their new Resistance troops. Instantly, blasters began shooting and the whole structure exploded into utter chaos. Her joy was short lived as the whole colosseum erupted into screams. The representatives in each booth, including Syddan and the Naboo, ducked and panicked as they fled. Reaching under the lining of her gown, Rey ripped the lightsaber blade from its holster, seeing Phoenix do the same. Poe and Ben already had their weapons out and were defending what they could of the Naboo representatives. From the large stone entrances, creatures and troops met the surrounding troopers. Despite the confusion and overwhelming amount of noise, Rey dipped into the ebb of the Force that sat just below her fear. As blasts came to meet the sight of their lightsabers, Rey raised her weapon to deflect them, the Force guiding her movements. Phoenix and Ben followed as Poe continued to fire his blaster, shaking off his heavy overcoat. 

“Most of the representatives are out,” Poe yelled. “We’re as good as dead sitting up here.”

“We need to go for the Knights,” Ben snarled back, eying the group of black hooded figures that were gracefully descending into the fray. A string of blood and bodies fell behind them as their red blades swung with minimal effort down the enormous staircases lining the structure. 

“He’s right, we’re the only ones who will stand a chance,” Rey reassured Poe, noticing the look of panic on his face. He nodded simply, before they took off down the narrow steps. 

In the pit of the colosseum, the confusion and heat of battle were thick, but Rey continued to lean into the Force to bring clarity to her surroundings. She felt Poe, Phoenix, and Ben all push their concentration towards preserving their lives and breaking through the crowd to meet the hooded group across the vast battlefield. Catching glimpses of fallen troopers and soldiers alike, Rey was almost too distracted to hear someone in the distance screaming her name. 

Pulling herself away from the focus of battle momentarily, Rey managed to pick out Finn’s face behind them in the crowd. Connix was with him, but she was too engrossed in her blaster to notice Rey. 

“POE,” Finn called, as Rey grabbed Poe’s hand to pull him towards Finn. 

“Finn!” Rey ran towards him, Poe closely behind, forgetting for a moment the danger around them. Swinging her saber to meet the blasts of nearby troopers, she threw her arms around Finn’s shoulders. 

“Buddy,” Poe breathed in relief, clasping Finn’s shoulder. “Boy, are we happy to see you.”

“Poe,” Rey turned to face him, hoping with everything she had that he would be safe. “Poe, stay with Finn. We don’t know what we’re facing with those Knights. I want you to be safe. You promised, remember?” 

“Are you crazy?” Poe took her shoulders, reacting just how she expected he would. “Rey, I’m not leaving you.” 

“Poe, our troops need you. I’ll keep my promise too.” Taking his face in her hands, Rey let herself look into his eyes one last time. They were surrounded by death and destruction, but all she could see was him. It was enough to give her the courage to face down the uncertainty of battle. Suddenly, his lips were pressed into hers, in a desperate attempt to keep her there. 

“Guys, now is REALLY not the time,” Finn cried as he covered them, shooting towards incoming First Order troops. 

Forcing herself to pull away from Poe, Rey gave his shoulders one last squeeze before taking off after Phoenix and Ben, who were already engaged in combat with three black figures. Rey barely had time to see their faces before a red blade slashed out of her peripheral vision. Bending backwards to avoid the saber’s touch, Rey swung to the side and whipped out her weapon to meet her opponent’s. A tall man towered over her, black markings decorated his unnaturally pale face. Everything around her screamed for her attention: the lights of blasters flying overhead, the clamor of armor against steal, the sound of ships flying overhead to deposit more troops. And yet, Rey had to focus everything she could on the Knight in front of her, as she twisted her hilt to block his attacks. Growling with unnatural savagery, the man pursued her with brute force, his anger growing as she continued to maneuver away from his blows. Rey could feel his distraction, his accidental pull away towards the peace of the Force. Sinking deeper into her concentration, she waited for his saber to strike and fall, and with a flick of her wrist, took off the hand that held the red blade. Without hesitation, Rey sliced the blue saber through his torso, searching wildly around her for signs of her friends. 

A short distance away, Phoenix was fighting a petite blonde woman, a fierce snarl in place of her typical sly grin. Ben was closely behind, engaged with the two other Knights, both wearing masks similar to Kylo Ren’s. Blocking blasts as she sprinted, Rey felt one of the Knights notice her pull on the Force. They turned, the calculated fury behind the mechanical mask burrowing through her as they pulled their saber away from Ben and pointed it towards her. Sprinting, Rey twisted her blade overhead to draw more power from her attack. Unlike her previous assailant, their defenses and blows weren’t driven by raw anger, but by decisive battle strategy and a deep desire to win. She felt her lungs and limbs strain for strength as she continued to fight, losing her grip on the Force just slightly. 

Suddenly, a cry of pain ripped through her mind. The masked figure had heard it too, and they both turned towards the source. As she had delivered the fatal blow to her opponent, Phoenix fell forward, revealing a deep gash across the side of her abdomen. She gasped in pain again as she attempted to stand, but failed, falling towards the ground. 

Something exploded through the Force, and Rey’s masked enemy dropped his weapon, his hands clasping his head in pain. Rey whipped around to see Ben, mouth open mid-scream, plunging deeply into the dark side of the Force. Everyone within close distance of them, troopers, Knights and Resistance fighters alike, collapsed in agony except for Rey. Ben rushed towards Phoenix, and Rey followed, noticing that no person or blast was able to pass through Ben’s torturous Force shield. She could feel the darkness flooding his heart and knew she had to pull him back. 

Ben didn’t even seem to notice her presence as she approached, hunched over as he held Phoenix’s lifeless body. Rey could feel her heartbeat through the Force, like a distance thumping under water, but it was so faint. 

“Ben,” Rey yelled. “Ben, come back. Don’t do this.” His eyes darted to focus on her, filled with tears and loathing and desperation. 

“Why not,” he snarled. “We could end this right now. I could end this right now.” 

“Because Phoenix wouldn’t want this. Because going back to the darkness won’t save her.” Rey felt her eyes welling with tears as she felt Ben’s pain surge through the Force, his fears, his desperation, his heart ready to burst. Beneath it all, Phoenix’s heartbeat still pulsed softly; a glimpse of hope amidst the overwhelming darkness. Ben could feel it too. His bloodshot eyes finally raised to meet Rey’s plea, and he seemed to finally notice the invisible cage of suffering he had created. The battle still raged around them, and Rey pushed into the Force past Ben’s grip on those around them, past the fighting, and suddenly she could sense Poe. She had only ever been able to communicate with Ben through the Force, but she needed to try. Gently touching Poe’s consciousness with her own, she whispered. 

Phoenix. Hurt. Need a med team. Tell Connix. There was only silence in return, but she could sense he at least heard her. 

“Ben, Poe and Connix are tracking down a med team. Phoenix isn’t the only one who needs help. You need to release at least the Resistance fighters. Can you do that?” 

Grimacing, Ben’s lips tightened as he focused on easing the pain from their allies. Slowly, the trembling limbs on each slumped and huddled figure slackened. Eyes opening wide with terror and confusion, they stared at Ben, unsure if they should flee or if they were safer with him rather than in the thick of the fighting. From overhead, the sound of incoming ships sounded throughout the colosseum. Heavily armed, the small ships lowered, and Rey was relieved to see they were shooting at the enemy. As they got closer, the doors slid open to reveal a medical team, shouting for troops to bring any injured soldiers on board. 

“We need to get Phoenix on board,” Rey yelled over the sound of the exhaust. Ben raised himself slowly, cradling Phoenix in his arms as if she was a small child. Rey tightened her grip on her lightsaber, preparing to fend off blasters, only to notice that Ben’s force field was moving with them, leaving a string of incapacitated First Order troops behind. Somehow, he was restricting the pain to only their enemy, seemingly unaffected from the effort. 

They marched through the battle towards the ship, unscathed, approaching to find a med team loading injured soldiers onto stretchers. Lifting Phoenix gingerly into the arms of two medics, Ben’s face turned from resolved to slightly panicked. Rey could feel the Force around him shifting as Phoenix’s limp figure disappeared into the ship. The burning darkness that had surrounded his mind was twisting into a desperate, irrational resolve. Phoenix would survive without him. They would all be better off without him. It would be easier if he didn’t survive the battle. 

Without thinking. Rey grabbed Ben’s arm, while the sounds of blasts echoed off the Force around them. 

“Ben,” his gaze met hers, eyes widening as he realized what she had overheard in his mind. “Ben, no. I won’t let you. I’m staying with you.” The shadow lurking in Ben’s mind retreated slightly as her words sunk in. 

“What kind of life waits for me after this?” he whispered, sweat pouring down his forehead, the strain finally showing. 

“Any life you choose to build,” Rey’s hands began to tremble as she joined her efforts with his, pouring her strength into the field that protected them both and the ship next to them. “Remember, you’re not alone.” 

As the words left her lips, Ben’s heart softened, the memories of their connection of Ahch-To flooding both of their vision. Rey let go of her grip on his arm. He believed her. She nodded before pulling back her mental strain, as they both relinquished the force field to return to the raging battle. 

Attempting to see through the thick smoke that was starting to cloud the colosseum, Rey noticed that the First Order troops that had been swallowed by Ben’s field weren’t rising, the Knights included. She didn’t have time to think about their potential deaths, as she defected the blasts and oncoming Stormtroopers closing in on her. Scanning the crowd, she realized that miraculously, the Resistance troops were outnumbering the enemy. 

She felt Poe before she saw him, dodging blasts to catch a glimpse of him crouching behind an enormous chunk of fallen stone with a few other Resistance fighters. She ran, taking as many troopers down with her blade as she could. 

“POE,” he whipped his head around at the sound of his name. Rey almost laughed; he looked horrible. His tunic was drenched in sweat, his freshly shaven face coated in dust, and his smoothed hair was ruined. But just seeing him alive and safe was all that mattered. With a few flicks of her wrist, Rey deflected the blasts from the firing troopers, sending them back to hit their attackers. Poe and the others ran out from their cover. 

“Have I ever told you you’re amazing?” he breathed, a smile across his face. “Is it just me, or are we winning?” 

Looking around, Rey noticed Poe was right. The First Order troops who weren’t fleeing the battle were being completely destroyed by the odd menagerie of Resistance fighters. Rey even saw a pack of wolf-like creatures combing through the Stormtroopers, leaving a bloody trail behind them. 

“LISTEN UP!” Rey covered her ears at the sound of someone screaming into a microphone, which cut through the surrounding sound like a sharp knife. Whirling around to face the head platform, she saw Connix, buns miraculously still in place, fighting desperately to show the whole colosseum who Chewie held in his grasp next to her. General Hux, beaten and panting, was attempting to shrink away from the attention and the horrible silence that filled the space as everyone recognized who he was. 

“This fight is over. We caught the only leader left in the First Order trying to escape the planet. Like General Hux here, the rest of the First Order will abandon you. They won’t protect you. They won’t fight for you. But we will. 

“Turn over your weapons. Don’t die for them. They clearly wouldn’t die for you.” As Connix let her words fall over the crowd, Rey could feel a shift in the tide of battle. Even from a distance, the color of Hux’s face matched his hair, confirming his guilt like a glaring red beacon. Troopers began to lower their weapons, and slowly, Rey heard the sound of guns dropping all around her. 

“They’re actually surrendering,” Poe breathed next to her. 

“I can’t believe it,” Rey replied, allowing herself the smallest of smiles. Scanning the remains around them, she caught Ben’s eye for a short moment, finally finding Finn surrounded by a group of ex-troopers. They were here. They were alive, somehow. They had won. A thought popped into her mind, one she knew Ben could hear. 

Leia would’ve been proud.


	11. Chapter 11

Peace and purpose. 

Letting the warm winds whip through her hair, Rey meditated on those two words. She had never truly felt them until now. 

Eyes fluttering open, the vast and strange mountains of Quabos towered next to her. From so high above, Rey could feel the Force flowing through the planet below. The scenery that was so foreign once was slowly beginning to feel like home. 

After the battle on Ebrion, things seem to fall into place almost effortlessly. Connix was the natural choice to represent the Resistance in the new democracy the systems were building. She had the tact to navigate the political world, and seemed to somehow enjoy the endless meetings, hearings, and conferences. With Chewbacca by her side representing interspecies relations, Rey was confident Connix was thrilled by the new arrangement. 

True to Phoenix’s vision for Quabos, the planet had become a safe haven for misfits. Finn and Rose were helping assimilate defective Stormtroopers back into normal life. Despite the hardships of fighting through years of conditioning, they had started to break through in the last few weeks. Rey knew it meant the world to Finn, though the troops’ attempts to treat him like royalty weren’t helping his ego. 

Catching the outline of a ship flying past the Quabos atmosphere, Rey involuntarily hoped it was Poe, though she knew he wasn’t due back for another three days. Connix had overtaken most of the leadership duties, but Poe had an important part to play in the Resistance. He had begged Rey to come back to Ebrion to help them in their political efforts, but she had refused. Instead, Poe had convinced Connix to let him take charge of rebuilding the Resistance’s fleet on a small planet nearby Quabos. Rey missed him, but cherished his frequent visits. 

For Rey, life on Quabos was humorously natural. Looking back on the last few years, Rey would’ve never guessed she would be rebuilding the Jedi order with Kylo Ren and a borderline insane ex-Knight of Ren. But Phoenix’s wound from the Battle of Ebrion had healed, and she often joked that the scar across her ribs was just an extension of the one on her head. During her stay at the medical center, Phoenix once again extended her offer to return to Quabos, and Rey gladly accepted. The same offer was extended to Ben, who really had no other choice. As Connix predicted, no one was wild about the idea of Kylo Ren having free access to the galaxy. But in actuality, Quabos was the only location that could best use Ben’s skillset. When Rey, Ben, and Phoenix had decided to help train the Force-sensitive refugees on Quabos, Rey was unsure if it would work. To her surprise, it had worked shockingly well. 

Stretching her arms overhead, Rey raised herself out of her meditation. The sun was starting to peak over the mountains ahead, signaling that she should begin her descent. The narrow stone stairs down to the forest below was familiar to her, but the height still made her stomach turn. Keeping herself close to the side of the mountain, Rey began the long climb through the mist. 

Eventually reaching the forest floor, Rey set out for the patch of trees they had designated to train students. Navigating through the thick vines and greenery, she felt a ripple in the Force to signal Ben’s nearby presence. Surely enough, she came across him only moments later, meditating on a nearby fallen tree branch. He turned, sensing her presence approaching. 

Only a few months on Quabos seemed to have transformed Ben. Phoenix had insisted on a haircut, which he had begrudgingly allowed, and his demeanor had softened significantly. He was more prone to smiling and laughter, though it was rare. She had never set it out loud, but Rey was beginning to see him as a friend. 

“Morning Ben,” she addressed, seating herself beside him. 

“Morning,” he replied. “Enjoy your heights?”

“You should try it sometime,” Rey smiled at his discomfort. 

“I’ll stick to meditating on the ground.” 

“How’s Phoenix?” 

“I think she’s trying to kill me,” Ben rolled his eyes, but Rey could sense the Force around him flicker warmly at the sound of her name.

“I think that’s just how she shows affection,” Rey quipped, taking a moment to admire Ben’s progress, how being here had healed so much of him. “So Quabos isn’t so bad, is it?”

“Better than that junk planet you lived on.”

“Oh, so Mustafar is so much better?”

“Well,” Ben’s lips twitched slightly, almost into a smile. “Quabos isn’t so bad.” They looked at each other for just a moment, both remembering a time not so long ago where they wanted to kill each other. And how much had changed since then. 

“No wonder your students aren’t learning anything, you’re late to your own class,” Ben scoffed. Jumping off her perch on the tree, Rey took off, realizing Ben was correct. She could sense him laughing behind her. 

Barreling through the trees, Rey burst into a small clearing where a small class was already assembled, cross-legged on the grass, awaiting her arrival. 

“Alright,” Rey gasped, attempting to level out her breathing. “Good morning. You’re all already in meditation position, which is wonderful. Well done.” Seating herself at the top of the class on a leveled-out tree stump, Rey crossed her legs once more, remembering the first time she took the position on Ahch-To. Smiling ever so slightly as memory of taking Luke’s direction a bit too literally crossing her mind, Rey took a long inhale and began their lesson. 

“Breathe…. now, reach out.”


End file.
